F 
fib 

A 55 



•'^i--- 



f } 



OFFICIAL REPORT 

OF THE 

RELIEF FURNISHED 




ll 



Ah 



EVANSVILLE, IND. TO CAIRO. ILLS., 



WITH THE 



TWO TRIPS 



U. S. Relief Boat Carrie Caldwell. 



February and March, 1384. 

ALSO MENTION OF OTHER RELIEF, GENERAL REMARKS 
ON THE FLOOD, CAUSES, AVERTION, &c., &c. 



R. "?. M. AMES, A. M., M. D., 

Assistant Surgeon U. S. Marine Hospital Service, 
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA^ 



o; 



JOURNAL COMPANY, 
Steam Printers. Book Binders and Stationers, Evansville, Ind, 

1884. 



Jfc5:- 



. ^.■■.,.j |. 




Class f ,T1 ( ^ 
Book ,^SS 



OFFICIAL REPORT 



Relief Furnished 



Ohio River Flood Sufferers, 



Evar.sville, liil., to Cairo, Ills, , 



Wnil THE 



TWO TRIPS 



U. S. Relief Boat Carrie Caldwell, 



February and March, 1384. 



ALSO MENTION OF OTHER RELIEF\ (GENERAL REMARKS 
ON THE FLOOD, CAUSES, AVERTION, &c., &c. 



i. BY 

R. P. M. AMES. A. M., M. D, 

Atisistant Surgeon U. S. Marine Hospital Service, 
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. 



JOURNAL COMPANY, 
Steam Priutei^i. Bouk liiuders and tttutioners, Evausville, 

1884. 




ERRATA, 
ad for John 
Page 13, Line 5,— Read for page 00, page 36 and following. 



Page 3, line 14— Read for John V. Hamilton, John B 
Hamilton. 



PR EFACE, 



The object of this report is to show the entire relief fur- 
nished by boats to the sufferers from the great Ohio River flood 
of 1884, between Evansville, Indiana, and Cairo, Illinois. Had 
time and space permitted I should have prepared a full and 
detailed report of all the relief furnished both by the Government 
and private parties to the sufferers from the headwaters of t^>e 
Ohio to its mouth. A brief mention will, however, be found 
of the principal portion of this relief with a few remarks upon 
the causes of the floods, the probability of averting them, and 
a detailed log of the two trips of the U. S. Relief Boat Carrie 
CalJwell from Evansville, Indiana, to Ca»iro, Illinois. In pre- 
paring this report I am indebted to Honorable Robert T. 
Lincoln, Secretary of War ; Honorable Charles J. Folger, Sec- 
retary of the Treasury, and Dr. John V. Hamilton, Surgeon 
General of the U. S. Marine Hospital Service. For my weather 
report I am indebted to Brigadier and Brevet Major General W. 
B. Hazen, Chief Signal Officer U. S. A. and to the following 
oflficers of the U. S. Signal service : 

O. D, Stewart, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
L. Dunne, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
E. B. Garriott, Louisville, Ky. 
W. H. Ray, Cairo, Illinois. 

Also to A. H. Beach, Surveyor of Customs, Wheeling, West 
Virginia, Dr. W. H. P. Stoddard, Evansville, Indiana, S A. 
Whitfield, Postmaster at Cincinnati, V. C. Thompson, Postmas 
ter at Louisville, and Rev. E. R. Donehoo, Pittsburgh, Pa. 



IV. 



rKKFACE. 



To Honoriible William Hcilman, vof Evansvillc, Ind., I am un- 
der many obligations for information contained in this report; 
also to James H. McNeeley, of the Evansville Journal, and Mr. 
William Caldwell, of F^vansville. To Mr. N. S. Byram, Chair- 
man ot the Indianapolis Board of Trade Relief Committee I am 
obliged for the information relative to the relief rendered by 
that Committee; also to Miss Clara Barton, President of the 
American Red Cross Association, and for assistance in collect- 
ing data on the Lower Ohio I am indebted to Mayor T. C. 
Bridwell, of Evansville, Mayor Charles Reed, of Paducah, Ky., 
and to Mayor Wm. P. Halliday, of Cairo, Illinois. 

Very Respectfully, 



R. P. M. AMES. 



C USTOM HOUSE, 

P>ansville, Ind., 

May I, 1884. 



GENERAL HISTORY OF THE FLOOD. 



The great flood which swept down the Ohio Valley during 
the months of February and March, 1884, was without prece- 
dent in the history of overflows throughout this vast district. 
Starting from the very source of the river the flood swept its 
entire length, spreading destruction on every hand and render- 
ing thousands of people homeless and helpless. For the past 
three years the subject of overflows has received considerable 
attention and been generally discussed by the residents of the 
Ohio Valley, and several scientific theories have been advanced 
as to the cause for the increasing annual inundation throughout 
this valley. It is not my purpose to enter into the discussion of 
these various theories but to state briefly my views of the matter 
after a thorough analysis of the mass of literature touching 
upon the subject, placed at my disposal. What, then, is the 
cause or causes for these increasing annual overflows thoughout 
the Ohio Valley? Undoubtedly, to my mind, it is due to the 
removal of forests, the clearing of lands, and the introduction of 
the system of tile drains. It is hardly possible that these unpre- 
cedented overflows are caused by rainfalls, exceeding any hereto- 
fore known. One hundred years ago when the Ohio valley was 
lined with thick, dense forests, when land-clearing -was in its 
infancy, and when tile drains were unknown, there were no 
such floods as have visited the Ohio during the past three years. 
The great forests which once flourished along the Ohio and its 
tributaries years ago, acted as absorbents themselves and also 
as creators and preservers of a soil which, sponge-like in itself, 
retained much of the water that now finds its way into the Ohio. 



O HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

These forests are now being rapidly destroyed, and when this 
is done, particularly in the mountains and hilly regions, the soil 
washes away and the rains that were once absorbed through 
the ground, sweep down into the valley and thence into the 
river. At the very source of the Ohio these conditions are 
peculiarly prominent. The ranges of mountains on either side 
have been almost entirely stripped of their forests; the- soil has 
been washed clown to the strata of solid rock beneath, and the 
water from the melting snow and rains rush down their slopes a 
respectable deluge at the very beginning. As long then as the 
wholesale destruction of forests continues so long will the danger 
of increasing floods grow in proportion. It is a well known 
fact that years ago throughout Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, in 
those portions of the States that were woody and not hilly that 
during the winter months and well toward May, from one to six 
inches of water was held back by the accumulated leaves and 
twigs. All this is now changed by the removal of the timber, 
and especially by the clearing of the lands, the removal of drift 
and stone obstructions in creeks and the introduction of the 
principal factor in causing the floods, namely, tile drains or any 
other system of drainage calculated to remove water rapidly 
from any given point to another. The sub-draining of the wet 
lands with tile, which is constantly going on not only in Ohio, 
Indiana and Illinois, but in all other water sheds of the Ohio 
valley, in connection with the ditches, some as large as canals, 
necessary to better free the sudden rainfalls, all combine to 
carry the rain at once froiTi the ground to the arteries. In 
mountainous, rocky and treeless regions a few hours rainfall wil^ 
fill a parched gully with a dangerous torrent. The water makes 
its way to its final level as it would from a roof. There is 
nothing to impede it. With us a large proportion of a heavy 
rainfall is stowed in swamps, sloughs and woodlands. It seems 
certain that any agency that decreases the number or capacity 
of these natural reservoirs will increase the floods following an 
unusual fall of rain. In the valley of the Ohio where the over- 
flow during the late flood was the greatest there has been within 
the last few years, no marked increase in the acreage of land 
cleared of forests, so that if the increasing height of the flood is 
to be attributed to a modification of the natural condition, it is 



HISTORY OP THE GREAT FLOOD. J 

due to an increased area of drained lands, and the ca-jse seems 
sufficient to produce the effect. Since 1876 fifty thousand 
miles of tile drain have been put down in Illinois alone, and it 
is believed that as much or more have been laid in Ohio and 
Indiana. The land in these States is generally level, abound- 
ing in wet lands and every foot of drain accelerates the journey 
of a portion of the rain that falls near it; and draining has but 
just begun. Every swamp and piece of wet land in the fertile 
regions of the country is destined to be drained, and the result 
is quite evident. It is very foolish to say we probably shall 
not have another flood. The probabilities, in truth, are all in 
the other direction. It is indeed, almost certasn that great 
floods in the Ohio will be more numerous in the future than 
in the past. The record of the last few years is straight in line 
with such a conclusion, and science more than warrants it. 

The people of the Ohio Valley ouii^ht to learn an important 
lesson from the experience of the last two years. They should 
recognize that similar, or even larger volumes of water will roll 
down this river annually and they should make suitable pro- 
visions accordingly. In closing my remarks upon the cause of 
the overflow I will state — that still greater floods may be looked 
for hereafter, and that many of the towns upon the banks of the 
Ohio will have to be abandoned for human habitation. The 
question will, without doubt, be asked what can be done to 
avert in a measure, this evil? My reply is, replace to a great 
extent the forests of the Ohio Valley. Construct large artificial 
reservoirs above Cincinnati, that will hold the excess of water 
till such a time as it may be used in improving navigation in 
the Ohio during the dry weather, or open a canal at a similar 
point that will rapidly carry the excess of water across the 
country into the Gulf of Mexico. These look like great under- 
takings, but I venture to say that one or the other of the 
methods will be adopted in a tew years if these destructive 
overflows continue, and I see no reason why they will not. 
Again, the improvements of the Mississippi River that are now 
going on are also calculated to lessen in a degree the extent of 
these great overflows by allowing the water to find a ready exit 
below. There can be no doubt that the bed of the Ohio and 
Mississippi are quite similar in appearance, and if the contem- 



8 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 

plated changes in the bed of the Mississippi are also carried into 
the Ohio it will necessarily lessen, or entirely remove, a minor 
cause of these floods, namely, a retention or backing up of the 
water by the sand bars or hills of sand in the bottom of these 
rivers. Monorable Robert S. Taylor, of Indiana, a member of 
the Mississippi Rivjr Commission has very graphically placed 
this matter before the public in an address delivered at St. 
Louis, Missouri, by invitation of the Merchants' Fxchange, on 
January 26th, J 884, and afterwards published. I will quote a 
a few paragraphs from the article as appears on pages 10, 11 
and 13 : 

"If the Mississippi river could be emptied of its contents, 
so as to expose its bottom dry and bare, the appearance 
presented would be surprising to most of us. Instead of a 
comparatively level channel floor, corresponding in its general 
features with the lands adjacent to the river, there would be 
found a succession of great sand hills and intervening depres- 
sions. Passing through one of these depressions, the observer 
would find himself, it might be, a hundred and fifty feet below 
the surface uf the banks on either side. Within a few thousand 
^eet he would encounter a sand hill, stretching across the chan- 
nel, so steep that you could scarcely drive a horse up its 
declivity, and perhaps a hundred feet hi^h. Having crossed 
the top of this, he would descend into another basin, then climb 
another hill, and so on. When the channel is filled with water 
the crests of these elevations approach the surface, and so con 
stitute the bars so often mentioned in this connection. In low 
water the greatest depth above them is sometimes as little as 
five feet, and often only six or seven. This is insufficient for 
profitable navigation upon a scale adequate to the growing de- 
mands of commerce. To increase that depth is the improve- 
ment desired." 

"The effect of outlets upon the flood levels and upon the 
river channel has been the theme of great cotitroversy for a 
generation past. There is a class of aquatic doctors who regard 
the Mississippi in every time of flood as sick, whose diagnosis 
of the case is dropsy, and whose remedy is tapping. Bills have 
been introduced in Congress, and vigorously pushed, to provide 
for the making of vast outlets by artificial means. The oppo- 



IirSTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. g 

nents of such measures have claimed that the effect of such 
diminution of volume in the river is, to lessen its energy and 
transporting power, and so cause deposits of sediment, which 
choke up the channel, increase the flood heights, and thus 
make the last state of the river worse than its first. These 
views have been supported by many observed facts, and by 
what seemed to be unanswerable reasoning. Nevertheless, 
there has been felt by intelligent students of the question a 
strong desire for more iacts, and for facts based on observations 
so made as to afford the highest possible guarantees of their 
accuracy. Some such facts we are now able to give. 

" During the great flood of 1882, a number of crevasses 
occurred below Memphis. Less than three months prior to 
that time, a survey of that part of the river had been com- 
pleted, so that we know its exact deptn, width and cross section 
at those points as they were before the flood. After the flood 
a resurvey was ordered to be made in the locality of four of 
those crevasses, for the express purpose of ascertaining what 
change, if any, they had produced in the river channel. The 
results were as follows : at Malone's Landing, where the upper 
and least crevasse of the four occurred, there was a shoaling of 
the channel below the crevasse amounting to four per cent, of 
its cross section ; at Riverton there was a shoaling of fourteen 
per cent. ; at Bolivar, eleven per cent.; and at Mound Place, 
twenty-four per cent. 

At Bonnet Carre, a few miles above New Orleans, a crevasse 
occurred a number of years ago, through which a large volume 
of water escaped into Lake Ponchartrain. It remained open 
until the autumn of 1882, when it was closed. We had a survey 
of the river adjacent to this crevasse, made before its closure, 
and have just completed another made since. A comparison 
of rtie two shows that since the closure of the crevasse the 
channel space in the river below it has increased about twelve 
per cent. We have, therefore, in four cases, a filling up of the 
river bed following an outflow through a crevasse, and in one, a 
scouring out of the bed following the closure of a crevasse and 
the stoppage of its discharge. lam not now arguing the out- 
let question, and will not take time to comment on the sig- 
2 



10 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

nificance of tliese facts ; but that they weijjh more than a fools- 
cap quire of conjecture, will be readily admitted." 

It will therefore be seen that a deviation of the river from 
its natural channel will accelerate deposits and assist in the 
formation of bars or sand hills below, which will in turn impede 
ihe waters in their onward course, and by filling up the river 
bed becomes an agent in producing the floods. To obviate 
this, these bars or hills must he removed, and that is one of the 
duties imposed upon the Mississippi River Commission, of 
which I shall not speak further in this connection. 

The winter of 1883-4 "was particularly severe throughout 
the Ohio Valley. Large quantities of snow tell upon the moun- 
tains during the season, the temperature was remarkably low for 
this latitude, in one instance reaching 22° below zero, Fahren. 
heit thermometer, and tht^ formation of ice was general from 
the source of the Ohio to its mouth. With the Ohio Valley 
covered by snow and ice, particularly in the upper portions, it 
was not to be wondered that such a volume of water having an 
easy egress as previously mentioned, came down the river 
when the thaw commenced, especially so as it was accompanied 
by a warm rain of nearly two weeks duration, extending over 
this whole section of the country. While the river commenced 
rising slowly at the headwaters about the first of February it did 
not make any appreciable rise till assisted by the warm rains 
which commenced falling on the fourth and continued almost 
unceasingly till the fourteenth, inclusive. The following table, 
accuratelv prepared for me at U. S. Signal Ofifice, Washington, 
D. C. , will show the daily precipitation at the principal cities in 
the Ohio Valley, during this period : 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 



11 



STATEMENT showing the precipitation, in inches and 
hundredths, at the below named places, from February 3d 
to 15th. 1884, inclusive, compiled from the records on file 
at the Office of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army. 



DATE, 1884. 



Febriiarv 





7.... 

8 . . . . 

!).... 
10.... 
11.... 
1:2.... 
18.... 
14.... 
15.... 
Iiiftppreci ible. 



Prfx'ipitation in Inches 

AND HrXDREDTHS. 



I1 -. 



o.ooo 

0.520 
1.710 
2.280 
0.88 1 
*.— 
O.OG 

u.oo'o, 

0.700. 
0.070. 

o.cojo. 

O.UOO. 

o.oolo. 



(JO 

00 

.50 

(50 

50 

,2 

.(JO 

,00 

47 

8(! 

10 

47 

00 0.00 



0.00 

o.sy 
2.88 

1.78 
68 
000 
0.14 
0.(31 
0(iO 
0.27 
0.77 



S ^ 



00 

0.00 

0.00 

1.20|0 

0.80 

00 

0.000 

0.300 

0.40() 

00 (), 

0.400 

0.8U'0. 

o.ooi*. 



0.00 
0.00 
0.82 
1.08 
0.(J2 
00 
0.10 
U.OO 
(J.Ol 
0.52 
0.20 
0.40 
0.00 



Signal Office, War Department, 

Washingion, March 10, 1884. 

As early as the third of February it was clearly evident to 
all on the Lower Ohio that a great flood was coming, even 
greater than last year, and having been well warned and dearly 
taught by previous destructive floods to be on their guard in 
the future, the people, as best they could, made a general move 
from the bottoms to the hills and higher places with the most 
of their valuables. This timely move saved many lives and 
thousands of dollars worth of stock and other property which 
must certainly have otherwise been lost. The. flood continued 
steadily, and on the fifth the river was reported as rising 
rapidly from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Cairo. Illinois. 

Fortunately at this time the Mississippi was quite low, in 
fact being eight feet less than at the sanre period of the flood 
last year. The Tennessee, Cumberland and Wabash were also 
low as compared with the year before. This condition alone 



12 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FI.OOD. 

saved the Lower Ohio from being visited by such a destructive 
flood as occurred above, the river emptying; itself rapidly into 
the Mississippi and no backing up occurring from a rise in these 
other rivers till the mass of water had passed down the Ohio, 
and the danger therefrom was over. The river continued 
rising, going beyond all former high water marks known in the 
history of the valley, till the unprecedented heights given below 
were reached. This table has been carefully prepared from the 
records of the various local U. S. Signal Offices, and is the 
standard measurement taken by the officer in charge from the 
Government gauges at the height of the flood. 

Pittsburgh, Pa., February 6th 1884, 33 feet 4 inches, 

" Allegheny Riv. 
Wheeling, V/est Va. ' 
Cincinnati, Ohio, ' 

Louisville, Ky., ' 

Evansville, Ind. , ' 

Paducah, Ky., 
Cairo, Illinois, 

At Pittsburgh the water was thirteen feet four inches over 
the danger line. At Cincinnati the water was four feet eight 
and three-fourths inches higher than the highest water ever 
before known there ; and such is the proportional rise all the 
way down till Cairo is reached wdiere, from the following table it 
will be seen that the flood of 1884 lacked four inches of being 
as high as the highest point reached by any previous rise : 

Cairo, Ills., February 26, 1882 51 feet 10^ inches. 
•' " " 27, 1883 52 " 2 

23, 1884 51 " TO 

The weather during the flood was, at times, quite severe, 
especially so about the time the water reached its highest point, 
and several cases of freezing were reported. To add to the dis- 
tress already existing, the entire valley was visited on February 
19th by a most terrific gale, the wind at times reaching a 
velocity of sixty miles an hour. The river, miles in width, was 
thrown into a perfect sea, waves rolled into the submerged 
cities and towns along its border from fifteen to twenty feet 



6th '• 


34 ' 


' 4 " 


7th " 


52 " I 


14th " 


71 ' 


' ^i " 


15th " 


46 ' 


' 82-5" 


20th " 


48 ■ 


" % " 


22d " 


54 ' 




23d " 


51 ' 


" ID " 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 1 3 

high and spread destruction wherever they stuck. Many lives 
were lost and thousands of dollars worth of property destroyed. 
Many places would not have required a-'d had not this storm 
occurred. (For further reference to this storm see the log of 
the steamer Carrie Caldwell, page oo). 

For reference I give below a table showing the highest 
stages of water in the Ohio from 1832 to 1884 inclusive, at the 
cities named. 

AT EVANSVILLE. 

Year. Date. Ft. In. I Year. Date. Ft. In. 

1832 February 46 7 1S77 January 41 5 

1847 fanuarv 45 6' 1S80 February 42 10 

18()7 "Marcb". 46 3 1^82 February 44 9)^ 

1875 August 41 1011883 February 47 d}4 

1876 January 43 |l884 February 48 ^ 

AT CINCINNATI. 



Year Date. Ft. In. 

1832 February 64 6 

1847 December 63 7 

1867 March 55 8 

1875 August 55 4 

1876 January 51 9 



^'ear. Date. Ft. In. 

1877 January 53 9 

1880 February 58 2 

1 S82 February 58 7 

1883 FebruarV (56 4 

1884 FebruarV 71 ^ 



Year. Date. Ft. In 

1832 February 35 

1847 February 26 

1867 March 22 6 

1875 August 21 9 

1876 September 23 3 



AT PITTSBURGH. 

Year. Date. Ft. In. 

1877 January 23 7 



1880 February 22 

1882 January 21 9 

1883 February 27 " 6 

1884 FebruarV 33 4 



No one who did not see the river during the flood can 
form the slighest idea of the enormous mass of water that 
covered the country. In many places the river was from ten to 
fifteen miles wide. In three places it was thirty miles 
wide, while places of from three to five miles in width 
could be found anywhere. Never in the history of the Ohio 
River did such a large quantity of water pass Cincinnati during 
two months, as in the months of February and March, 1884. 



14 



HISTORY OF. THE GREAT FLOOD. 



February 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 



The following are the figures of each day: 



Ft. In. 



. 32 
.40 
.4() 

.4!) 

. r>o 

. 53 
.60 
.61 



7 

2 

7 
3 
6% 

9 62 10 

10 63 .. 

11 65 1 

12 66 10 

13.... 68 8>4 

14 69 11 

15 71 03^4 

2 a. M 70 9>4 

16 69 11 

17 67 111^ 

18 65 6 

19 62 Q}4 

20 59 10 

21 58 5 

22 .5r, lU 

23 51 5 

24.... 47 10 

25 44 8 

26 40 10 

27 ;55 11 

28 33 11 

29 28 4 



-March. 
1 



H. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20., 
21., 
32., 

24., 

25.. 

26: 

27.. 

28.. 

29.. 

30.. 

31.. 



Ft. 
..25 

..24 
..22 
..21 
..20 
..19 
. .18 
..17 
..24 

..m 

..36 

..39 

..47 

..48 

,.48' 

.A8 

..48 

.49 

.48 

.46 

.43 

.41 

.40 

.40 

.41 

.41 

.40 

.38 

.38 

.38 

.35 



In. 
5 
2 
6 
3 
5 
4 
3 
11 



10 

10 
3 
4 
3 
7 
6 
8 
8 
3 

11 
2 
9 

11 
9 
3 
2 

10 
8 
3 
9 



RELIEF MEASURES. 



As soon as it became apparent that aid would be required 
for thfe unfortunates who had been driven from their homes by 
the high water, and in many instances lost their all, prompt and 
energetic measures were at once taken all over the country for 
their relief. The story has already been told, and all are famil- 
iar with the prompt and generous action of the general Govern- 
ment ; the responses which came up from all over the land to the 
cry of distress from deluged communities, the free-will ofiferings 
from State Legislatures and City Councils, from churches, 
schools and lodges, wealthy corporations and private individuals, 
until the stream of supplies to relieve the distress of the unfor- 



HISTORY OP THE GREAT FLOOD. I J 

tunates seemed hardly surpassed by the mighty stream of 
uncontrolled waters that caused it. 

At Pittsburgh, Pa., the citizens formed a Relief Committee, 
chartered the towboat Iron City with a barge, and loaded it with 
supplies of food, bedding, fuel and clothing, valued at ^5,000. 
This boat was placed in charge of the Secretary of the Citizens' 
Relief Committee, Rev. E. R. Donehoo, pistor of the Eighth 
Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, and on February 14th left 
Pittsburgh to render aid to the sufferers down the river. The 
following gentlemen were on board and assisted in the distribu- 
tion of the supplies: W. H. Davis, of the Commercial Gazette, 
Charles F Jahan of the Dispatch, Robert W. Herbert, of the 
Post, Charles Wakefield, o^the Leader, and Park L. Walter, of 
the Chronicle Telegraph. The boat distributed supplies as far 
as Parkersburg. West Virginia, then turning back reached Pitts- 
burgh Feb. 20th. By direction of the Relief Committee a second 
trip was made to the relief of the sufferers leaving Pittsburgh 
the same day that the first returned, viz, February 20th. The 
boat was the steamer Resolute, with Captain R. C. Gray's 
model barge. It was loaded with $15,000 worth of supplies, 
being donations from Pittsburijh and the neighboring towns, 
consisting of food, clothing and bedding. Rev. E. R. Donehoo 
was again placed in charge with Geoige R. Reppert and Joseph 
G. Siebeneck as assistants. The expedition went as far as Park- 
ersburg, West Virginia and turned back as before, that being 
the limit to which their relief work extended. It would be next 
to impossible to describe all the relief movements connected 
with the recent flood in the Ohio, as accurate accounts of the 
same have not been kept, but suffice it to say that every city 
and town not submerged came nobly to the front with relief for 
the needy. 

At Cincinnati the Relief Committee of the Chamber of 
Commerce took the matter actively in hand and worked with a 
good will. One hundred and eighty-four thousand dollars 
($184,000) were raised and distributed; a large portion of which 
was used outside of Cincinnati. The steamer Granite 
State was chartered and did good service in distributing supplies 
above and below Cincinnati. At Louisville the Relief Commit- 
tee distributed local supplies from skiffs, no relief boats other 
than Government boats being sent out. 



INDIANAPOLIS BOARD OF TRADE. 



The Indianapolis Board of Trade placed itself early in the 
field for the relief of the Ohio River flood sufferers by the 
organization of the Indianapolis Board of Trade Relief Committee 
with Mr. N. S. Byram as Chairman. Subscriptions and contri- 
butions were rapidly received, and on the r5th of February they 
chartered the steamer City of Frankfort, at Cincinnati, and took 
her to Madison, Indiana, where several car loads of supplies were 
awaiting distribution, by direction of the Relief Committee. 
The boat having been loaded with eighty thousand rations, six 
hundred bed comforts, and a full supply of medicines, she left 
Madison on the trip down the river on the morning of the 17th 
of February with Captain Jacob Remelin commanding under 
the direction of the Relief Committee. The following persons 
were on board during the trip which extended from Madison, 
Indiana, to Shawneetown, Illinois: Governor A. G, Porter, N. 
S. Byram, Chairman. W. P. Gallup, J. A. Closser, Eli Lilly, A. 
A. Barnes, R. O. Hawkins, D. M Ransdell. H. E. Frazer, 
Mayor McMasters, (Indianapolis), Dr. E. S. Elder, Secretary of 
State Board of Health, Dr. D. D. Waterman, Dr. J. B Dill, 
Mr. Will Fortune, for the Indianapolis Journal, Mr. W. Tindall, 
for the News and A. McMurray and Jesse Shoemaker for the 
Sentinel, all of Indianapolis. 

Bruce Carr, Grand Master of the Masonic order in the 
State, accompanied the relief party, and distributed several 
hundred dollars, with more for the needy ones below. 

Lieut. Dclaney, U. S. A., accompanied the Frankfort as 
far as Evansville, by order of the War Department, and was 
among those who rendered most efficient service in relieving 
the sufferers during the trip. 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 1/ 

The cost of the rations distributed was $6,825, ^^^ the 
entire cost of the trip, including the cost of the rations was 
$8,452 Rations were left at all the points needing them be- 
tween Madison, Indiana, and Shawneetown, Illinois, while 
fifteen hundred were delivered to skiffs alone. The expedition 
consumed eight days, the boat being discharged February 25th. 

In addition to the regular army rations an additional ration 
of potatoes was issued in nearly every instance. Two hundred 
and thirty dollars worth of medicines were also distributed. 
The Committee further gave relief by taking the steamer 
"Little Sandy," Captain Williams, commanding, with twelve 
thousand rations at a cost of $2,624, and going above Madison. 
The boat was chartered February [4th by the Indianapolis 
Board of Trade Relief Committee and left Madison on the 15th, 
was out two days, and returning the boat was discharged on the 
17th. W. P. Gallup and Col. Eli Lilly, of the Committee, with 
Alderman Rorison and Dr Garver, accompanied the expedition 
The expenses of the trip and boat were $ 1 27. The Relief Com - 
mittee kept in reserve a considerable sum of the relief funds 
and at a later date sent Messrs. Byram and Gallup to make a 
personal investigation of all damaged property from Lawrence- 
burgh, Indiana, down to the Illinois line. This they did, nearly 
all the distance having to be made in skiffs, and forwarded 
their report to the Committee who sent to responsible parties, 
money in varying amounts to be us'ed in rebuilding and repair- 
ing their houses, barns, fences, &c. 

Below Evansville the worst state of afitairs was found in 
Posey County, among the farn ing classes. Between West 
Franklin and the mouth of the Wabash 107 houses were swept 
away or ruined by the flood, and between the mouth of the 
Wabash and the crossing of the L. & N. R. R. 36 more. It is 
estimated that the owners of at least one-half of these houses 
will not be able to rebuild unless public assistance is ex- 
tended them. From Mt. Vernon to West Franklin Mr. 
Byram said he did not see a living thing, man or beast, nor a 
habitable house. "It was a picture ol desolation,'^ said the 
gentleman, "such as no tongue or pen can describe." The sit- 
uation in the lower part of Vanderburgh County was found to 
be somewhat better, but bad enough. Mr. Byram says that 
3 



1 8 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

tlirou£:jh the losses among the farmers of this county do not ag- 
grouate as much as those of last yt-ar, the people are in even a 
worse situation than before, having lost their stock, farm imple- 
ments and barns. 



EVANSVILLE RELIEF COMMITTEE. 



Evansville alone, of all the large cities throughout the Ohio 
Valley, can truly say that it was not damaged to the extent of 
one dollar by the recent flood except indirectly as'businesss with 
the surrounding towns was interfered with. With the greatest 
flood ever known in the Ohio Valley, Evansville stood high 
and dry with several feet to spare. The great manufactories 
suffered no inconvenience, and were kept running full time and 
all business went on as though no such thing as a flood had 
ever been heard of. All these facts placed Evansville prom- 
inently before the country as the only city on the Lower Ohio 
which could be selected as headquarters for Government and 
private supplies for the relief of the sufferers. Boats were fitted 
out here for a sum considerably less than could have been done 
elsewhere, ana the generosity expressed by the merchants 
toward all relief movements was quite marked. Immediately 
upon its being known that assistance would be required in the 
submerged districts neighboring to FvansviUe. a meeting of the 
citizens was held in the court house and the fi)llowing Reh'ef 
Committee at once appointed witii power to act: Mayor T. C. 
Bridwell, Chairman; H. S. Bennett, W H. Caldwell. Dr. R. P. 
M. Ames, Charles Yeager, Treasurer, J. W. Lauer, Secretary, 
W. S. French, and John Albecker. Subscriptions were at 
once raised and the people responded nobly, several thousand 
dollars being collected the first afternoon. In this connection 
it is proper to state that the city, through its Mayor, T. C. 
Bridwell, gracefully declined the aid offered by Robert T. 
Lincoln, Secretary of War, from the fact that the city had not 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 1 9 

sustained any damage by the high water, and especially from 
the fact that we would be depriving other places actually in 
need. The following telegrams which passed between the 
officials will explain themselves. 

TELEGRAM. 

[Copy.] 

Washington, D. C. , February 13, 1884. 
J. C. Jewell, Collector of Customs, 

Evansville, Indiana. 
"Upon the suggestion of Senator Voorhees, I beg you to 
advise me what are the rieeds of your neighborhood for food 
and clothing to persons made destitute by the flood." 
(Signed) ROBERT T. LINCOLN, 

Secretary of War. 



To this Mr J. C. Jewell made the following reply. 
TELEGRAM. 

[Copy.] 

Evansville. Ind , Feb. 13, 1884. 
Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of War, 

Washington, D. C. 
"This neighborhood will need assistance. The water is 
still rising and the worst is not yet reached. The city is high 
and diy but the border above and below is inundated. The 
citizens are furnishing private relief." 
(Signed) J. C. JEWELL, 

Collector of Customs. 



TELEGRAM. 

[Copy.] 

Washington, D. C, Feb. 13, 1884, 
The Mayor of Evansville, Ind.: 

"You are authorized to purchase and distribute subsistence 
stores, clothing and other necss iry articles to persons made des- 
titute by floods, within your reach, to an amount not exceeding one 
thousand dollars Careful records of purchases should be kept 
to enable a Department officer to adjust tht- account when he 
can be sent. You will be expected to give the officer you 



20 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FI.OOD. 

receipt for stores, and account as agent of this Department for 
the distribution. Please advise me by wire the number of des- 
titute, and whether purchases can be made in your locality." 
(Signed) ROBERT T. LINCOLN, 

Secretary of War. 



In response to this Mayor T. C. Bridwell, after a thorough 
investigation and consultation with the Relief Committee, sent 
the following 

TELEGRAM. 

rCopy.J 

EvANSViLLE, Ind., Eeb. 13, 1884. 
Hon Robert T. Lincoln, 

Secretarv of War, 

Washington, D. C. 
"On behalf of our people I tender you their thanks for 
the proffered assistance. Evansville, happily, is above the 
reach of the flood and will not, for the present at least, require 
aid. All supplies are abundant here and can be readily 
purchased. The waters, however, are still rising and a large 
portion of two of our townships on the river are submerged. 
Aid for these may be required. I will at once confer with the 
officials of these townships and if aid is necessary will immedi- 
ately advise you, and will cheerfully take charge of the relief 
tendered by you, and will distribute it in the manner indicated 
in your telegram of this date." 
(Signed) T. C. BRIDWELL, 

' Mayor Citv of Evansville. 



TELEGRAM. 

[Copy.] 

Washington, D. C, Feb. 14, 1884. 
Hon. T. C. Bridwell, Mayor Evansville, Ind. 

"I understand from your telegram of this date that you 
will not need the credit of $1000 offered you yesterday. If so 
please advise me as demands from other quarters are very 
pressing. 

(Signed) ROBERT T. LINCOLN, 

Secretary of War. 



History of the great flood. it 

To this dispatch Mayor Bridwell sent the following reply, 
which clearly voiced the sentiment of our citizens: 

TELEGRAM. 

(Copy. I 

EvANsviLLE, Ind., February 14, 1884. 
Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of War, 

Washington, D. C. 
"The people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County 
again decline the proffered aid. We can provide, not only for 
the suffering within our own borders, but are now preparing to 
assist other locahties not so favorably situated as ourselves." 
(Signed) T. C. BRIDWELL, 

■ Mayor City of Evansville. 



It will thus be seen that while at first thought aid would be 
necessary, after a careful consideration of the subject it was 
deemed not advisable to accept it as sufficient means were 
then in the hands of the Relief Committee to care for all the 
sufferers both above and below us, and properly within our 
district on either side of the river. On February 14th the 
Relief Committee chartered the steam tug Isabella and with a 
full supply of food, clothing and medicines, they descended the 
river into Union Township and rendered great relief to the 
farmers in the bottom lands. On the 15th a similar trip was 
again made down the river as far as West Franklin, and on the 
16th the party ascended the river as far as Owensboro, Ky. 
On each trip rations were left with the parties relieved sufficient 
to last two weeks. Many found sick and helpless were brought 
to the city and placed in the hospitals, while hundreds of 
families who could not leave their homes were made comfortable 
by issuing to them a full supply of rations and medicines. 
Great credit is due the Evansville and Cairo Packet Company 
for the regularity with which- they ran their boats during the 
flood. They were run at great risk and very often at consider- 
able loss; but they were of immense service to the people in the 
submerged districts and it was to this that the company paid atten- 
tion, these boats being the only means of communication that was 
offered the towns below Evansville and above Cairo. On Feb- 
ruary 20th, the day after the great storm that passed over the 



22 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

Ohio Valley, the steamers Grace Morris and Isabella were 
chartered and two expeditions sent out to the aid of the suffer- 
ers. Tiie Grace Morris went up stream with a port'on of the 
Relief Committee, and Dr. Charles E. Lining, Health Officer, to 
look after the sick, while the Isabella went below with several 
other members of the committee, and at Henderson, Ky., 
took on board Dr. James Letcher* Both boats were out all day 
and rendered most valuable assistance to those who had been 
disabled by the storm. Several instances occurred where 
parties partially frozen or exhausted were taken from trees into 
which they had climbed the night before when their homes, 
already partially submerged, were swept away by the gale. As 
the water gradually subsided the plan of reli-^'f changed The 
people had been fully supplied with food, but now came the 
time when clothing would be needed and assistance in replacing 
and repairing their homes required. The plan which was 
originally suggested by Governor Porter, of Indiana, was at this 
time generally adopted. This plan was as follows: 

" I think that all moneys hereafter contributed for the 
relief of the flood sufferers should be applied to making habit- 
able the dwellings of poor people who have suffered by the 
flood, and to the purchase of fanliing implements for needy 
people where the implements have been lost by barns or other 
places in which they were placed having been washed away. 
Sufficient money has been raised by the Relief Committees, and 
more than sufficient, along with the United States appropriation, 
for the purchase of food and clothing. Whatever surplus is left 
in the hands of relief committees should be applied to repairing 
and replacillg dwellings and purchasing implements in such 
cases as I have named. The money used in this way last year 
was applied most usefally. It revived hope and courage, and 
stimulated industry. Since last year, working people whose 
houses were removed from their foundations and greatly dam- 
aged have not been able to accumulate means enough now to 
replace and repair them. Help given them will inspire them 
with new energy, and will, sooner than anything else, remove 
the necessity of any other kind of help. Every dollar in the 
hands of relief committees that can be thus used should be 
applied in this manner. Every dollar that has been sent to me 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 23 

will be applied in this manner, and I wish I had in my hands 
for that purpose many times as much as I have." 

At this time also the Red Cross Association came actively 
to the front for now ha 1 the time arrived when this Association, 
of all others, could do the most good. 



RED CROSS ASSOCIATION. 



The Red Cross Association was organized for the relief of 
suffering by war, pestilence, famine, flood, fire and other 
calamities of sufficient magnitude to be considered national in 
extent. It operates under the provisions of the Geneva Treaty 
promulgated at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1864, and signed since 
then by all civilized nations of the earth ; the United States 
giving its adhrs'on through President Arthur in March, 1882. 
Of the American Association President Arthur is the Chairman 
of the Board of Consultation. The Executive, consisting of 
Miss Clara B.irton, President, Walter P. Philips, Secretary, 
George Kennan, Treasurer. The Trustees are Honorable 
Charles J. Folger, of New \ ork, Secretary of the United States 
Treasury, Honorable Robert T. Lincoln, of Illinois, Secretary 
of War, and Honor.ible GeorL^e R Loring, of Mississippi. The 
society is international in its character, non-partfean and non- 
sectarian in composition, discri ninating in its judgment, 
unbiased in its action, grand in its aims, and ( fficient in its 
work. Through the instrumentality ot the Red Cross Associa- 
tion much sufifjring and destitution has been relieved throughout 
the Ohio Valk-y which it would liave been almost impossible to 
reach but for this organization. With Miss Clara Barton at the 
head, and a large corps of active and intelligent assistants, the 
relief work performed by this Association has been most 
thorough and efficacious. Contributions of money and clothing 
have been sent to all points in the inundated districts of the 
Ohio Valley where such assistance was needed, while a thorough 
and careful investigation, by members of the Association, of the 



24 HrSTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

flooded territory, has rendered the aid most beneficial. As soon 
as it became apparent that the sufilering from the high water 
would necessitate the various relief movements, Miss Barton 
removed her headquarters from Washington, D. C , to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, where she carefully and intelligently superintended 
the distribution of a large amcjunt of supplies donated from all 
parts of the country, consisting of money, food, clothing and 
fuel. As the water receded then came the time for the relief 
proffered by this Association 'to be given. After remaining 
several days in Cincinnati and relieving all the suffering so far as 
it was met with. Miss Barton on March 3H, removed her head- 
quarters to Evansville, Indiana, where arrangements were at 
once commenced to reach and aid the sufferers between this 
point and Cairo, Illinois. Captain J. V. Throop kindly placed 
his steamer, the "Josh V. Throop,'' at the dispo.sal of the Red 
Cross Society without any expense except the actual running 
cost of the boat. The steamer was at once loaded with an 
immense quantity of boxes, bales, barrels and bundles of cloth- 
ing, being donations from various private parties and relief 
organizations throughou^ the country which had been accumu- 
lating here for some time, together with a large amount of bed- 
ding and fuel, and started on its mission of vnercy down the 
river in charge of Miss Clara Barton, Saturday, March 8th. 1884. 
Miss Barton was accompanied and assisted on this trip by Dr. 
J. B. Hubbell, of Washington, D. C, the Field Agent of the 
Association, Rev. E. J Galvin, agent of the Chicago Red Cross 
Association, Capt Coghill, aqent of the St. Louis Association, 
Miss Hamilton, of St. Louis, with Mrs. DeBruler and several 
other Evansville ladies. Relief was given to all the sufferers 
needing it between Evansville and V^ickliff, Kentucky, below 
Cairo. The party reached Cairo, March 15th, and after proceed- 
ing down the river to Wickliff, Kentucky, lurned back, arriving 
at Evansville, March 20th. In addition to the supplies men- 
tioned, the Rev. E. J. Galvin, of Chicago, had placed at his 
disposal $25,000, from which checks were drawn and left 
with any party needing financial assistance. Miss Barton and 
her corps of assistants remained in Evansville after their return 
until April 2d, when the relief transactions throughout the Ohio 
Valley having been practically finished, she removed her head- 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 2$ 

quarters to St. Louis, Mo., where a relief boat was at once fitted 
out and sin-iilar assistance tendered to the sufferers in the 
inundated districts of the Lower Mississippi. Miss Barton was 
fur. h'.T aided on this trip by Mr. John Hitz, of Washington, D. C* 



GOVERNMENT RELIEF. 

For the Ohio Rivex- Flood Sufferers. 



On February loth a meeting of the Congressmen from 
Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, presided over by Senator 
Sherman, was held in Washington to take steps to secure an 
immediate appropriation for the relief of the sufferers by the 
flood in the Ohio VaUey. The necessity for such a meeting 
was quite apparent, and Congress, in response thereto, appro- 
priated three hundred thousand dollars for such purpose on the 
following day. On February 15th, the first appropriation 
having been considered hardly sufficient to meet the demands, 
two hundred thousand dollars riiore were appropriated for the 
same purpose making five hundred thousand dollars in all to be 
expended under the direction of the War Department. The 
original plan of the Secretary of War, which was carried out, 
was to have one boat with supplies go down the river from 
Pittsburgh, two leave Cincinnati, one going up stream and the 
other down, one bjat from Louisville to Evansville, and the 
fifth boat from Evansville to Cairo ; but it was afterwards learned 
that additional boats would in some instances be required, and 
they were therefore sent out. Major S. T. Cushing of the 
Subsistence Department,- was ordered to Pittsburgh in charge 
of the supplies, General Beckwith to Cincinnati, while Colonel 
Rufus Saxton took charge in Louisville Sixty thousand dollars 
were assigned to the relief of the flood sufferers between Pitts- 
burgh and Ironton and more if needed. The steamer Katie 
Stockdale was chartered and left Pittsburgh for down the river 
with seventy-five thousand rations on board, in charge of Captain 
Rose, February 15th, the total value of the cargo exceeding 
twenty-five thousand dollars. From Cincinnati the steamer 

*Ou Mny 25th MiSi Barton made a t^ecDnd trip down the Ohio with the steamer "Josh V. 
Throop"' under charter with household supplies nnd farming implements for the recent suffer- 
ers The boat went a-i far as Klizabethtowu, or p )ssibly a few miles below, and then turuinfj 
back, proeeeJed up stream to Whealiug or Pitt-'biiigh till the supplies were exhausted. 

4 



26 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

Granite State went up and the steamer General Pike came down 
on February i/tli, the latter only distributing about six thou- 
sand rations as far down as Tajlorsport, Kentucky, The 
steamer Mattic Hayes left Louisville on Ftbiuary 15th in charge 
of Major E. B, Kirk, with seventy five thousand rations, arriving 
at Fvansville February 18th, and turning back, reached Louis- 
ville P'ebruary 24th. On all these trips rations were distributed 
on the return trip as well as on the one going out. The 
steamer Mattie Hayes made another trip on February r^th, 
leaving Louisville and going to Madison Indiana, and return. 
She carried on this trip fifty thousand rations and distributed 
thirty thousand. The remaining twenty thousand on her return 
to Louisville were placed on the steamer City of Frankfort 
together with eighty thousand purchased in Louisville, and 
another trip was made down the Ohio to Evansville leaving 
Louisville March 4th and arriving at Evansville March 9th. 
From Evansville some of these rations were sent by packet to 
Metiopolis, Illinois. (See log of steamer Carrie Caldwell, second 
trip.) The steam tug "Osceola" was sent as a special boat from 
Louisville with seventy five thousand rations, twenty thousand 
for Shawneetown, thirty thousand for Paducah and twenty five 
thousand for other needy points. (See log of steamer Carrie 
Caldwell, first trip.) The steamer Carrie Caldwell made two 
trips from Evansville. On her first trip she left Evansville, 
Indiana, on Februaiy 17th with seventy-five thousand rations, 
going as far as Cairo, Illinois and returning. On her second 
trip she left Evansville, Indiana, March 5th, with one hundred 
thousand rations, going as far as Wickliff, Ky, on the Missis 
sipp' and returning. (See log of the two trips.) In addition 
to the above mentioned relief, aid was directly and indirectly 
furnished to the sufferers on the Upper Ohio as the emergency 
required, full reports of which have not yet been received, nor 
will they be published, unless Congress should call upon the 
Secretary of War for a full and detailed report of the same. 
Two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars were expended 
above Madison, Indiana, and one hundred and twenty five thou- 
sand dollars between Madison and Cairo Illinois, while the 
remaining one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars were 
transferred to the relief of the Mississippi flood sufferers. 



FIRST TRIP 

OF THE 

Unittiid States Relief Boat Carrie Ca]d\A/ell, 

TO AID THE 

Ohio River Flood Sufferers: 

Evansville, Indiana, to Cairo, Illinois 

ANU RETT RN, 
Februcirv 17th to F^ebriiai v 25th, 1884, inclusive. 



Captain A. B. MacGovvan, I2th U. S. Infantry. Commanding. 

On February 15 th, 1884, Captain A. B. MacGowan, I2th 
U. S. Infantry in charge of the recruiting office at Louisville, 
Kentucky, was detailed by Hon. Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary 
of War, through Assistant Quartermaster General Rufus Saxton, 
also of Louisville, to proceed to Evansville, Indiana, charter a 
boat, purchase seventy-five thousand rations and go to the 
relief of the flood sufferers between Evansville and Cairo. 
With these instructions Captain MacGowan left Louisville at 
once, arriving in Evansville on the morning of February i6th 
and proceeded immediately to consult with Honorable William 
Hcilman for the necessary information relative to the chartering 
of a steamboat and the purchase of supplies. By ten o'clock 
in the forenoon the steamer Carrie Caldwell had been chartered, 
bids received for the supplies and the contracts awarded. The 
following, being the lowest bidders, received the contracts to 
furnish the supplies : 

George P. Heilman & Co. 

480 sacks of meal @ ^i 10 . . ' . . . . $5 14 80 

38 bbls. hominy grits @ $2 ro 1 10 20 

Amount $625 00 



28 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FI GOD. 

William Caldwell. 

75 sacks® IOC, 2^6 j{ hush. Irish potatoes @45c. . . $113 81 

6s " @icc, 125 " onions (aSoc. . . 106 30 

11208 pounds sugar (5:7c 784 56 

AiTK unt, $1,004 67 

W. M. Akin & Son. 
56250 pounds salt sides (769 pieces) @9%^c .... $5,484 37 

Parsons & Scoville. 

6006 pounds roasted coffee @i7j^c $ 1,073 58 

17 boxes fannily soap, 1020 pounds 

19 " Atlantic " 1140 " 

II " Olive " 660 " ....... 

2 " Old reliable 120 *' 

I ". Specialty 60 '' 

3000 pounds soap (040 . . 120 00 

211 barrels flour @$5 00 1,055 00 

2323 pounds baking powder @ioc 232 30 

Amount, , $2,480 88 

As soon as the contracts were awarded no time was lost in 
placing the supplies upon the boat, and by ten o'clock in the 
evening the Carrie Caldwell was fully equipped and ready for 
an early start in the morning. " A full supply of medicines and 
disinfectants, were also procured for distribution among the 
sick along the route, and by special direction of the Secretary 
of the Treasury I accompanied the expedition in charge ot the 
medical department, to attend to the sick, and issue medicines 
when needed. Much credit is due Mr. William Caldwell, of 
whom the boat was chartered, for his personal sup. rvision in 
furnishing the boat with an abundantly well filled larder and 
sparing no pains to see that everything was made comfortable 
for us upon the trip. Mayor T. C. Bridwell, of Evansville, 
kindly consented to accompany us, and from his thorough 
knowledge of the people and country below here rendered to 
Captain MacGowan most valuable aid in assisting him in the 
distribution of the supplies. 

Everything then being in readiness we left Evansville on 
our fiist trip down the river with Government rations for the 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 20 

Ohio River flood sufferers, on Sunday morning, February 17th, 
1884, with the following ofificials on board. 

Capt. A. B. MacGowan. 12th U. S. Infantry, commanding. 
Dr. R. P. M. Ames, Assistant Surgeon of the U. S Ma. 
rine Hospital Service, in charge of the Medical Department. 
Mayor T. C. Bridwell, of Evansville. 
John Weed, Captain of steamer Carrie Caldwell. 
J. F. Crane, Mate " " 

Henry Matheny, Pilot " " " 

John Orr, Engineer " *' " 

Eugene Brady, ist Clerk " " " 

George Swearanger, 2d Clerk " " " 

Edward Lamb, Steward " " " 

The following is the revised log as kept by me on the trip : 
"The first stop was at Barker's and Sanders', just above 
Henderson, Indiana shore. People all right and no supplies 
were left. 

The second stop was at Henderson. Capt. MacGowan, 
Mayor Bridwell and myself went ashore and consulted with ex- 
Mayor Peters, F. E. Kriepe and Thomas L. Cannon. Said 
parties stated they were all right in Henderson and could 
care for all the sufferers that had come to them. Three hundred 
bags (paper) were purchased, and two flour scoops. No sup- 
plies were left. 

wp:st franklin, ind. 

Arrived at 2 p m. Left rations for fifty people, 500 
rations. All the houses but four have water up to the second 
story. Hays' store is under water to the roof. Supplies were 
left with Postmaster Seitz. Mrs. Barbie H. Rossman was found 
sick with pneumonia, and I left medicine. She is 56 years old. 
Her daughter-in-law Francis was sick with conjestive malaria, 
and medicine was left. 

At Mr. John Oliver's place his mother was sick with pneu- 
monia and dysentery. One woman just gave birth to a child. 
Mrs. Grimp's child was sick with malaria, and Mary E. Duncan 
with dysentery. No distress on the Kentucky shore opposite 
West Franklin. At widow Weaver's house on Mt. Nebolt, the 
water is just up to the door. Diamond Island is all covered. 
Bement's corn cribs, with 45,000 bushels, are dry ; his pens, 



30 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

with 2,500 bushels are also dry. Alzey, Ky., is all gone but 
the store and Postoffice, and no one is living in the place. The 
store was owned by Cooper & Co. The New York store is 
in about twenty feet of water, 

Mr. VKRNON, IND. 

Arrived at 4 p. m. Captain MacGowan, Mayor Bridwell 
and myseK went ashore and met the following Committee on 
Relief for the sufferers: 

E.Smith, Mayor, President; J B Gardner. J. P. VVel- 
bourn, John Pfeffer, S. Millner, Treasurers, J. D. Dieterlie, 
Stcretary, Alfred D. Owen and William Spillman. 

It was found that a number of flood sufferers were in a bad 
condition, but the committee had done excellent work. Rations 
for five hundred people were left. The boat remained at Mt. 
Vernon all night and left for below at 6 a. m. 

UNIONTOWN, KY. 

February 18, arrived at 8 a. m. The town is in a terrible 
condition, every house, of which there are about 700, are all in 
water from the second story to the roof Only four are dry 
and they are back of the town on the hill. All business except 
for the necessaries of life, has stopped, and what little there is 
done is from the second floor through the windows into boats. 
Boats take the place of all teams, &c., as the water is from ten 
to twenty feet deep over the town. Plank sidewalks are floating 
on a level with the second stories. No houses have been moved 
from their foundations as yet. The river rose three and a half 
inches here last night (Sunday). There is no telegraphic com- 
munication at all, and it is hardly probable that the telephone 
can be used as the office is all under water. Captain J. 
K. Freeman, P. M. has moved his office to the second floor and 
mail is delivered by boats. A onestorj^ house passed down 
frv^m above while we were here. The churches are all under 
water, the Methodist being the most so, as the water is at the 
top of a lamp post in front of the church. The Baptist 
Church has water over the pews. On Second Street the water 
is on the roof of J. R. Warren & Co.'s store. The town is about 
one-half mile wide and two miles long. The Commercial and 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 3 1 

Grand Hotels are in water to the second floor. The 
water is now tliree inches lower than last year and still rising 
rapidly. Locals say it will be half a foot higher than last year. 
On arriving the following Relief Committee was met by Capt. 
MacGowan, Mayor Bridwell and myself: J. C. Hamilton, C. D. 
Mattingly. George Gillicrep, \V. T. Cannon, John Cartmell, 
W. T. Taylor (City Marshal) and T. H Champman. They 
stated that the mass of the people in the town were dependent 
upon the factories and business houses for support, and as these 
wire closed and they could not get their daily pay they were in 
want. About 500 families are needy, and a large territory on 
the Indiana and Kentucky shores, about twenty-five or thirty 
miles back, being flooded, depended upon Uniontown for sup- 
port. Rations for 1,000 people were left (10,000 in all). River 
here twenty-five miles wide. Left at 10 a. m. 

After leaving Uniontown we found John Castjlla's house 
with chimney floating down the river four miles below, it came 
from Mackey's plantation Parties were in a skiff and had 
removed a rocking horse, chairs, beading, etc., from the garret. 
Indian Mound was only a few feet out of water and a house 
lodged on it. The mouth of the Wabash is a perfect sea. 
Slack's Landing is twenty feet under water and no one there. 

SHAWNEETOWN, ILL. 

Arrived at 1 1 a m. We met Mayor Millspaugh, Mr. 
Carroll and others. No Relief Committee has been organized 
here, yet the Mayor stated that there were about 1,500 people 
in the town a.id near country that would need relief — some from 
Kentucky and some from the hills back of town where they had 
gone for safety. Fifteen thousand rations were left for distri- 
bution. The town is completely submerged and the destitution 
is great. Old pork houses, factories and mills are filled with 
men, women and children, white and colored, all driven from 
their homes and the latter destroyed. 

While the rations were being placed upon the wharf-boat 
Captain MacGowan, Mayor Bridwell and myself accepted the 
kind invitation of John Nichi Ison to show us the most interest- 
ing portion of the submerged town. Shawneetown is a place 
of about two thousand inhabitants and the majority of the popu- 



32 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

lace are quite poor, depending upon the mills and factories for 
their suj^port. As soon as it became known that the vast 
amount of water from above would place the river far above the 
level of the levee it was decided for the safety of the town to 
cut the levee and let the water come in gradually rather than 
risk the breaking of the levee when the river would be at an 
extreme lieight and the water pouring in would cause immense 
destruction to property. The levee was accordingly cut and 
the rise of water in the town, proper, a gradual one. The 
residents have moved back into the hills, one and a half miles 
distant, or gone to the neighboring towns of Enfield, Equality, 
Mt. Vernon and Eldorado. Railroad and telegraphic commu- 
nication is entirely cut off but the latter will be resumed in a 
tew days. The weather has been intensely cold for the past 
few days and the suffering is great. The town is submerged to 
the depth often to thirty feet, and in some places the current 
reaches a velocity ot ten miles an hour. In skiffs we traversed 
the town and saw destruction on all sides. Hundreds of houses 
are entirely under water and many are swept away or completely 
demolished. Only the three story buildings have their roofs 
out of water. All the high, available buildings are filled with 
refugees, such as mills, factories and school houses. 

In twenty feet of water, back of the city, the porkhouse 
was found to be a large building three stories high. One por- 
tion is of brick, but it was built forty years ago and is now 
crumbling into ruins. The main portion is built of large and 
heavy timbers and may be a reliable refuge, but it hardly looks 
it now. The people who have gathered th=re are among the 
poorest in the city. There are forty-five persons, whites and 
blacks, quartered there, few of whom are in the best of health 
and two are bed-ridden. The place is' large and roomy inside, 
and the roof of the lower portion affords an excellent promen- 
ade. Altogether the porkhouse is better suited to its present 
uses from the standpoint of convenience than any other retreat 
of the sunken city. The water flows through the windows at a 
proper depth to admit an oarsman seated in a skiff without 
knocking oft his hat. Two broad stairways lead up to the third 
or habitable floor above. A few of the smaller divisions appor- 
tioned to families presented an inviting appearance, but the 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 33 

general surroundings were filthy and squallid in the extreme, 
and much sickness and disease must emanate therefrom. 

ON THE HILL. 

A mile away on the hill ii8 more unfortunates are biding 
the fall of the waters. Most of these are lodged in the army 
tents pitched on the slopes of the hill, some within view of the 
town and some hidden by the crown of the hill. Here were 
also encountered squalor and sickness, the latter arising from 
the exposure and the unhealthy food. 

Near the same place are several families in cabin-covered 
flatboats. One of these is a widow whose husband occupied a 
sick bed when the water first began to climb the outside of the 
levee. He was seized with a delerium in which he died. The 
unhappy widow and her three little ones were relieved from their 
sad situation through the generosity of a private citizen, 
who furn'shcd the funds for the burial and tendered the family 
the use of the flatboat during the highwater season. 

On our return we met a funeral in boats going to the 
cemetery on the hills, back ofthe town. 

Just before leaving, Mr. B. F. Trumbull, of Raleigh, Ky., 
reported one hundred people suffering in the hills back of 
Raleigh, mostly colored, some white. One thousand rations 
were therefore issued to them and left at Shawneetown to be 
delivered. After remaining three hours at Shawneetown we 
resumed our journey down the river. 

BLACKBURN, KY., 

opposite Shawneetown, the water is all over the place. Mr. J. 
C Bunch, Postmaster, has all the goods of the place on two 
barges in front of the store in which he and his family are living. 

SHOTVVELL COAL MINES. 

The village is all under water and the people have gone 
away. No relief could be given. 

CASEYVILLE, KY. 

Arrived at 4 p. m. Left at 4:30 p. m. There were two 
funerals yesterday and one to-day in boats. The place is all 
under water with the exception of a few houses back of the town 
5 



34 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

on the bluff The water stands seven inches less than last year. 
We met Capt. D. A. Brooks, Postmaster, who stated that there 
was no absolute suffering, only bother, and no assistance was 
needed; therefore they had not formed a relief committee. 
They had been offered State relief, but refused it for the time 
being. The water is twelve feet deep in the streets. The town 
prison and Presbyterian Church are full of water. On account 
of the strong wind it was not safe to proceed farther that night, 
we therefore crossed the river to the Illinois side where, under 
the shelter ot a high bluff, we remained all night. During 
the evening Dr. Barkley, with a party, came to us in skiffs and 
stated that in the rear of the town there were about one hundred 
people needy, of whom Postmaster Brooks had not known. 
We therefore visited Caseyville again in the morning and left 
one thousand rations. 

WESTON, KY. 

Arri-'cd February 19th, 1884, at 7 a. m. The town is 
in ten feet of water and all the houses, twenty-five in number, 
are submerged. Mr. Lamb and others stated that while every 
one was comfortable, they had a few poor people on the hills, 
but not needy. . Aid was offered, but they did not require it. 

FORD'S FERRY, KY. 

The town is composed of about six good houses, which are 
all under water. The wharf-boat was pulled to a point one- 
fourth of a mile above the place and tied to a tree. They 
did not need any assistance. 

CAVE-IN-ROCK, ILL. 

Only a few families are suffering, but some from Saline 
arc in a bad condition, and i,ooo rations were left. We took 
a skiff and rowed into the cave to the extreme end. The cave 
is 40 feet wide, 200 feet deep, and about 8 feet above our heads. 
The water is at last year's high water mark. 

ELIZABETHTOWN, ILL. 

One-fourth of this place is under water. Mr. McAmis, 
Postmaster, said no relief was needed, and had heard of no 
complaints; therefore no supplies were left. 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 35 

ROSE CLARE, ILL. 

The town is all under water. It has a population of 4,000 
and about seventy-five houses. No relief committee has been 
formed. All the people are out of employment and are back 
on the hills. The river is five inches higher than last year, with 
only three houses dry. John Hogan and family of five were all 
found sick. John Hogan, pneumonia; Maggie Hogan, typho 
malarial fever ; Katie Hogan, congestive fever. The above 
family is in the house of J. F. Durkin. Mrs. Mary Ledynski. 
widow of the late Dr. Ledynski,was found sick with chills and fever. 
I visited all and left medicines and directions. There are no 
physicians in the place, and these people have been sick for a 
week. Two thousand rations were left with William Davis for 
distribution. 

CARRSVILLE, KY. 

Population. 250 — 75 houses. Only five families were com- 
pelled to leave their houses. River seven inches above that of 
last year. One hundred people were suffering in the immedi- 
ate vicinity, and 1,000 rations were left with R. A. Croster. 

PARKINSON'S LANDING. 

No provisions left — all right. River 3 inches higher than 
last year, and still rising. 

GOLCONDA, ILL. 

Arrived at 3 p. m. Population, [,200. One half of the town 
is flooded, and the water one foot above that of last year. There 
is fifteen feet of water in the streets, with two inches over the 
second floors. The town is entirely surrounded, and the only 
means of exit is by a footpath to the hills at the south of the 
town. The mills, factories and stores are all closed, and many 
people are homeless and without food. All the sufferers are 
taken care of by the people to the best of their advantages. 
The citizens have responded well. The Relief Committee con- 
sisting of Major A. D. Pierce, J. C. Baker, and Mayor Theo- 
dore Steyer stated that all assistance was worthy and would be 
fully appreciated. The people are coming in from the bottoms, 
with about six families from Kentucky. There are at least 550 
worthy people, and more coming. Ten thousand rations were 



36 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

left. A heavy fog, followed by a violent gale, prevented our 
leaving Golconda till Wednesday morning. During the gale 
the "Caldwell" parted three large hawsers at once, and swinging 
around broke a hole in her roof and staging. Captain Mac- 
Gowan while trying to reach the boat in a barge, narrowly 
escaped being blown into the river. The barge was captured 
by skiffs and towed to the wharf boat. Trees were blown down, 
and but for the fact that the wind was off shore many houses 
would have been ruined and lost. The damage elsewhere must 
be great. 

BAY CITY, ILL. 

Arrived February 20th, 1884, ^t 7 a. m. Ten houses is the 
size of this place. The warehouse is two feet out of water, 
Only one family have been drowned out and they are taken care of. 

BIRDSVILLE, KY. 

Is half under water. Met R. M. Johnson, Postmaster. Three 
families are drowned out, but all are cared for. No relief left. 

SMITHLAND, KY. 

Arrived at 9 a. m. This town, ot about 600 is entirely 
under water, the river being two -and a half feet 
higher than last year and still rising. The gale of 
last night has destroyed thousands of dollars worth of 
property ; ;^20,ooo will not replace it. The wind was on 
shore and did immense damage to the front of the town, not a 
sound house now being on Front Street. W. Ellis' large store- 
house, back of the Planters' Hotel, is a complete wreck, while 
the river is full of floating household goods and furniture of all 
kinds. Thirty houses were swept away last night and three- 
fourths of the people are destitute. There is not enough bread 
in the town to last them two days. The town is flooded back 
to the hills, being fifteen to twenty feet deep in the streets. As 
Captain Ceister says, "the storm has ruined us. " The only brick 
house standing is the Court House. No relief committee has 
been formed. Mr. Hewitt, representing the State of Kentucky, 
is here. He has left $500, to be distributed among fifty familie.=, 
with four gentlemen — Mr. Hendrich, Judge Gibson (Police 
Judge), Mr. Grayot and Mr. Adams. Mr. Hewitt was going 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 37 

up the river on the Kentucky side, but when told that we had 
relieved all above, he returned to Paducah, from whence he 
came, with us, to await further instructions from the 
Governor. Shawneetown was truly deplorable, but this 
place is worse. Captain MacGowan wishes to express his 
sincere thanks to Mayor Bridwell and myself, for the valuable 
aid rendered him in distributing the supplies and assigning the 
amounts to the different ports. Sickness has been abundant 
and medical services have been in constant demand. Four 
thousand rations were left at Smithland. We expect to part 
with Mayor Bridwell at Paducah, as home work calls him. He has 
been uneasy to get back, but could not before reaching Paducah 
as it is impossible for trains to run owing to the high water, and 
the steamboats are quite irregular. 

NEW LIBERTY, ILL. 

Arrived at 12, noon. The entire town is in twenty feet of 
water. There were fifty houses in the town and thirty were 
swept away in the gale last night. The suffering is terrible and 
the destitution great. From here to Paducah, Ky , the entire 
country is covered with from twenty to thirty feet of water. 
Supplies were left with Captain Jacobs at Hambletsburg, two 
miles above, as we could not land at New Liberty. Six thou- 
sand rations were left for 600 people. The river is two and a 
half feet higher than last year. There are hills on both sides of 
the river, which is one and a half miles wide at this point. 

ALIDA POINT, ILL., 

Four miles above Paducah, three houses and several barns 
were washed away by the gale last night. Some of them lodged 
two miles below in the woods. 

PADUCAH, KY. 

February 20, 1884 — Arrived at 2 p. m. The city, with the 
exception of a few squares, is completely under water from 
three to ten feet in depth. Great damage has been done by the 
gale of last night, and the people are in a most distressing con- 
dition. No landing could be made at the wharf boat for fear 
of injuring the adjoining buildings, and we had to go to the 
rolling mills above the city to make a landing. The Gus. 



38 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

Fowler, Henry Tyler and Silver Cloud were laid up there. In 
a row boat Captain MacGowan, Mayor Bridwell and myself 
entered the city, going down Locust Street, which had five feet 
of water in it. Yeaser's drug store, the Southern Hotel and 
Presbyterian Church on Locust Street, have water on the first 
floor. The "News" office has about two feet on the first 
floor. Rowing down Broadway we went to the Richmond 
House. All of Broadway has water up to the first floors back to 
Oak Street. The American National Bank has moved up stairs. 

Arriving at the Richmond House we rowed into the office 
and there met the Relief Committee and Mayor Charles Reed. 
Their story of the suffering and destitution was terrible. No 
less than 3,000 people are destitute in and around the city. 
They are worthy of all the aid they can get. 

Paducah has received $1,000 from the State, but that is 
only a drop in the bucket. Paducah is truly a Venice. 

The only boats running are those of the Evansville and 
Cairo Packet Company, and they deserve great praise for so 
nobly keeping up their trips. The Hopkins and Dexter are 
running through to Cairo, as the Gus. Fowler is disabled. 
During the gale last night, one house, with a man, woman and 
two children went adrift, and all were lost. The gale was beyond 
description, the waves rolling into the city about fifteen feet 
high, and reached the second story of the Richmond House. 
This exceeds anything in the memory of the oldest inhabitants, 
and as the Postmaster (Mr. Ashcraft) said, it equalled any storm 
he had ever seen on Cape Hatteras. Buckman & Brann's large 
tobacco warehouse was destroyed and 300 hhds of tobacco were 
lost. The wind blew the waves rightnt 00 the shore. The 
river is three feet higher than last year and still rising. In the 
First Ward alone 550 people are distitute. The Relief Com- 
mittee consists of, first the Central Committee, composed of 
Mayor Charles Reed and J. L. Bethsharer, County Judge, 
then the General Committee, consisting of one man from each 
ward as follows, six in all : 

First Ward, M. Weil ; Second Ward, George Rogers ; 
Third Ward, J. W. Fisher; Fourth Ward, J. R. Smith; Fifth 
Ward, William Clark; Sixth Ward, W. E. Augustus. On 
arriving at Paducah we had about 18,000 rations left. 



HISTORY OF THE GREAl' FLOOD. 



39 



Seeing the great necessity of aid, Capt. MacGowan telegraphed 
for 40,00c rations for Paducah. We regained our rations for 
points below and will supply Paducah with 40,000 rations on 
our return. Mayor Bridwell left us at Paducah and will return 
to Evansville as soon as possible. But for the gale Paducah 
would not have needed any assistance. 

METROPOLIS, ILL. 

Arrivea at 4:30 p. m. The town is half under water, and 
the destruction of property by last night's gale is terrible. The 
pen can not describe it. Four or five acres that are overflowed 
are one mass of wrecked and broken houses and buildings all 
drifted in together. 

We were not ab'e to land at the wharf-boat and went into a 
cove one mile above the city. During the gale last night the 
waves rolled into the city fifteen feet high and spread destruc- 
tion wherever they struck. Twenty buildings were swept away 
and one hundred entirely demolished Seventy five or eighty- 
five thousand dollars will hardly cover the loss. Among the 
houses destroyed are the McCorley Hotel, Mrs. Green's house 
and J. C. Willis* old warehouse. J. C. Wil'is, while endeavor- 
ing to save some property on the wharf-boat, had his thigh 
broken by being thrown against the side of the boat by the 
waves. The water beats the high water mark of 1867 by two 
feet. The town has twenty acres under water, and has a popu- 
lation of 4,000. ,Not a building is left sound on Front Street, 
The principal men that have given to the flood sufferers are the 
chief losers. Four or five thousand dollars each is the rule. 
They would not have asked for any aid if the gale had not 
occurred. The large stave factory of Shelton & Meyre is com- 
pletely destroyed. One hundred fam-'lies are without food or 
homes, five hundred persons in all. Five thousand rations were left. 
The Relief Committee consists of Mayor J. H. Norris, F. C. 
Obermach and T. S. Stone. The Committee took the steamer 
Massac with Captain MacGowan and myself, and ran up to the 
Caldwell one mile above town, and loaded her with the supplies. 
Yost, Bigelow & Co.'s large spoke factory, employing 300 
men, is greatly damaged, and the men are thrown out of em- 
ployment. A large quantity of lumber was lost last .night, and 



40 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

the four saw mills belonging to Wm. Twole & Co. have quit 
lunniiig till the water recedes. The flour mill of Quantee Bro. 
with a capacity of 300 bbls a day has been greatly damaged and 
shut down. All other mills, factories, stores, &c., are closed, 
and the people are busy trying to save what little'thereis left. 
After unloading supplies we remained in the cove all night. 

JOPPA, ILL. 

February 2ist, 1884. — Arrived at 6:45 ^- ^'^- The town 
had about twenty- five houses before the gale of Tuesday. All 
the houses are flooded except two or three back on the hills. 
Copeland's store and adjacent buildings are flooded to the 
second story. During Tuesday's gale the waves ran fifteen feet 
high and completely destroyed seven houses and wrecked five 
more. Copeland's store was considerably damaged. He has 
all his household goods on a barge in front of the store. The 
gale began at 2 p. rq. and lasted till midnight. Many persons 
have lost their all, not even a change of clothing being left. Mrs. 
Brinton, who owned two houses on Front Street, lost both of 
them and has not a cent left. The suffering is terrible. W. T. 
Thompson, Postmaster says $4,000 will just about cover the loss 
on property and 52,000 on household goods. Rations for fifty 
people (500) were left with Mr. Thompson for distiibution 
among the sufferers. 

OGDEN'S LANDING, KY. 

This place was comprised of one large two story house, 
warehouse and store. These the property of the Ogden family, 
were all swept away in Tuesday's gale. The whole site is under 
twenty feet of water. No landing was made. Not a soul left 
there. 

CALEDONIA, ILL. 

Arrived at 8 a. m. Here we found two houses in which 
were living five families from Kentucky ; Rolus Woodfall was 
sick with chills and fever, Tom. Woodfall, pneumonia. Medi- 
cines and instructions were left for them. There are eight 
people in all at the upper landing. During the gale Tuesday, 
the waves rolled into this place fifteen feet high, completely 
destroying John Mohr's grist mill and drowning two cows. No 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 4I 

supplies for Caledonia were needed. At the lower landing we 
met Mr. Worthinu[ton, lit^ht house keeper. Nearly all the 
sufferers are from Kentucky, as the Illinois side is a bluff high 
and dry. Kentucky opposite is all under water for three miles. 
People comfortable with plenty to eat. 

At the lower landing at Caledonia the Government light has 
just ground enough to stand on. * 

MOUND CITY 

Is dry. There are bulk heads all around the river front made 
of sand, gravel and planks. Tuesday's gale was off shore and 
not much damage was done. The river is six feet higher than 
the level of the town. 

We met the Mayor, George Meitz, and the following coun- 
cilmen: Q. A. McCracken, C. M. Bell, J. W. Real, and Mr. 
Myre. They stated that no relief was needed. All the mills, 
factories, and even the marine ways are running and no one is 
out of employment, and all comfortable. We left for Cairo 
at 10:30. 

Halliday's large house on the Kentuckv side, just above 
Cairo, was completely destroyed by the gale. 

CAIRO. 

Arrived at 2 p. m., February 21st, 1884. There are bulk- 
heads for aboutten squaresin front of the city. We will take coal 
here and remain all night. The city is comparatively dry. The 
levee has been raised since last year, except the distance stated. 
No relief is needed at Cairo. We met Mayor Halliday and 
others. The river is 51.9 on the gauge. The levee is in an 
excellent condition. The Mississippi levee is 56 feet high and 
5 feet out of water. The Ohio levee is 55 feet high with 3 feet 
extra bulkhead. The Ohio levee is 90 feet wide with a slope of i to 
5 on the outside. The Mississippi levee is 20 feet wide with a 
slope of I to 7 outside and 1 to 2 on the inside. 

THE RETURN TRIP. 

February 22, 1884. — Last evening while taking on coal a 
report was sent to Ca pt. MacGowan that Bird's Point, opposite 

'^ The entire tlmiiaKe to^overuiueiit lights <>u the Ohio Kiver, between Ciuciuuatj and 
PittuburRh by the recent flood will not exceed $800 Only six of the 208 liKhtx were destroyed 
by the water, thirty being entirely swept away. Between Cincinnati and Cairo there were 211 
lamps, and it Is estimated that ot least one-third of that number were entirely displaced. 

6 



42 HISTORY OF T^E GREAT FLOOD. 

Cairo, on the Missouri shore, had suffered terribly by Tuesday's 
c^ale. and needed assistance. Investij^ation showed that fifteen 
houses were washed away and that the whole place was under 
water, and great destitution. The people had received aid from 
Cairo, but seeing the great necessity for immediate and substan- 
tial relief, and as the St. Louis relief boat had not been heard 
from, though out of our jurisdiction, Captain MacGowan trans- 
ferred to a steam tug kindly furnished by Mayor Halliday, 5,000 
rations, and sent the tug to their relief. Dr. John A. Benson, of 
the U. S. Marine Hospital Service, being in charge. 

We left Cairo at 6:20 a. m. February 22. Tom Merri- 
wether and another party, with two tiegroes, while attempting 
to cross the river opposite Mound City, on Tuesday, were 
caught in the gale and all lost. The river has a terrible current 
here. Old river men say they never saw anything like it before. 
At Cairo it is seven miles an hour. The average is at least five 
miles an hour. 

TERRELL'S LANDING, KY., 

Is all gone. Three houses and one warehouse comprised the 
place, and were all swept away in Tuesday's gale. Robert 
Merriwether's house is gone, but the chimney is left standing. 
'All along the river the woods are full of .broken houses, quarters 
and halfs, and all kinds of household goods and furniture. The 
loss is frightful. W.e are averaging five miles an hour going up 
stream, the current being very strong. Several rafts of logs 
have been seen with wagons and farming implements upon them. 

MARSHALL'S LANDING, KY. 

The warehouse is still standing, and the water is up to the 
eaves. Same at Chandt's landing. 

TURNER'S POINT, KY., 

Opposite Caledonia, we found a terrific current, at least ten 
miles an hour. We just moved in going against it. This point 
is owned by Judge H. T. Turner, of Henderson. 

BROOKLYN, ILL. 

Arrived at 2 p. m., February 22d, 1884. The town, 
a quarter of a mile wide and a mile and a half long, 



hIstOry of the great flood. 43 

is all under water. During Tuesday's gale thirteen houses 
were entirely swept away and ten greatly damaged. The waves 
were ten feet high. Some portions of the town are dry. The 
store of Steele & Son has a bulkhead in front and is dry. Two 
school-houses are full of people, about thirty in all. The Daly's 
grist and saw mill is a total wreck. Household and farming 
implements arc floating around the town. Several brick houses 
have crumbled. The town originally had sixty houses and a 
population of 200. H. D Hall lost his house, coopcrshop and 
all ho owned including $200 in cash, which was in the house. 
All but one of VVm. Allen's tenement houses are gone. The 
Postmaster, T. B. Alexander, and Dr. J. D. Young stated that 
the suffering was great and that aid had been needed for three 
days. The people came from back in the country as far as 
Stringtown. It was estimated that at least 500 people were 
needy and 5,000 rations were left to be equally divided between 
Brooklyn and Stringtown.. A very sad incident was the death 
yesterday of Mrs. Sallie Tanner's child. Having lost everything 
and having no means, she obtained from Mr. Alexander, a cracker 
box in which to bury her child. Much sickness was found. River 
four feet higher than last year and still rising. The town was 
never before flooded. Alexander's store is filled with people 
from below. The school house for white children has seven 
families in it, and the one for colored children contains twenty 
families. Left at 3 p. m. for Paducah. 

PADUCAH, KY. 

Arrived at 4 p. m. and landed two miles above the city 
John Allard's house, in Illinois, opposite, has water up to the 
eaves. The old Government Barracks, below the city, are 
under water. On arriving at Paducah, Captain MacGowan re- 
ceived the following telegram, as did also Mayor Reed, from 
Rufus Saxton, Assistant Quartermaster General, at Louisville, in 
reply to his of the 20th, asking for 40,000 extra rations : "Pur- 
chase 10,000 rations for Paducah. I will send 30,000 more 
from here at once." 



44 HISTORY OF TFIE GREAT FLOOD. 

Under this authority the following supplies were purchased 

from the lowest bidders : 

F.d. P. Noble & Co., 7,500 lbs. bacon, @i2c . . . . $ 900 00 

City Flouring Mills Company, 57 bbls flburat;^4 . . 228 00 

J. R. Smith & Co— 

200 lbs. coffee at I2^c 25 00 

300 lbs. coffee at I7^c 52 50 

750 lbs. sugar at 6^c 4^ 50 

500 lbs. rice at 6c 30 00 

J. K. Bondman & Co — 

300 lbs. coffee at i7}4c 52 50 

750 lbs. sugar at 6^c 48 7S 

500 lbs. rice at 6c 30 00 

Total $1,415 25 

The actual cost per ration was 14 cents. The actual cost 
per ration purchased in Evansville was 9 cents. 

This amount will be distributed by the Relief Committee 
by orders on the firms of whom the purchases were made, until 
the extra 30,000 rations arrive from Louisville. The river 
stands at 543-10 and rising slowly ; one foot higher than when 
we were here on the 20th. Paducah is today feeding 3,000 
people, and by another week it is estimated that 5,000 will have 
to be fed. On this trip Captain MacGowan has distributed 
near 90,000 rations and the entire cost, including the boat, will 
amount to nine rations for $1, or $9,567 75. As locomotion 
is performed only by boats, parties having them are charging 
exorbitant prices to row people from place to place. One per- 
son paid $7 to go in a boat to his train and $6 for his railroad 
ticket after getting there. A large number of railroad men 
(negroes) were paid off yesterday, and being drunk, they are 
causing great disturbance and riots are feared. Plundering is 
great. Last night, by force, they took charge of the colored 
church (Baptist.) They were run out to-day by the police. 
The State Guards were called out with head quarters at the 
Custom House. All is peaceful and quiet to-day. There are 4 
feet 8 inches of water in the cellar of the Custom House. We 
were treated to a view of the city from the cupola of the Custom 
House by Major Ashcraft, Postmaster. As far as the eye can 



History of the great flood. 45 

reach there is nothing but water. Passengers of the C. O. & 
S. W. Railroad have to be transferred by boat six miles out on 
the road to Bond's Station. We remained here all night and 
left Paducah at 6:30 a. m. February 23d. At Dr. Fisher's, just 
below New Liberty, the steamer Metropolis was rescuing three 
persons from the roof of a floating house. Just below New 
Liberty, about a mile, are fifteen houses scattered along in the 
woods, all washed away from New Liberty during the gale. 
The steamer E. Lewis was repairing there and is now a total 
wreck, parts of the boat being seen for miles below New Liberty. 
Back of New Liberty the grave yard is all under water. The 
Masons of Golcondn yesterday sent to New Liberty a large 
quantity of breadstuff's, potatoes, etc. At Alida Point this 
morning at 7:30, a Government light was seen in a tree ten feet 
above the water and still burning. It had lodged there during 
the gale. 

At May's Landing, Ky., opposite Golconda, a two story 
house and a warehouse were swept away ; the chimneys are 
standing. At Empire Landing, 111 , the water is up to the 
eaves of the warehouse. At Trabue Coal Landing, Ky., one 
house was swept away. 

CARRSVILLE, KY. 

Arrived at 2 p. m., February 23d. — LaMarr's house opposite, 
in Illinois, was swept away during the gale. During the storm 
Mr Crotser's warehouse was damaged about $500 worth, and 
he lost 500 empty barrels While making the landing at Carrs- 
ville we struck, with force, the rocks and knocked a hole in the 
bow under the guard. Being above the water line it caused 
no material delay, and after leaving Carrsville it was caulked 
with cotton and wadding. 

ROSE CLARE, ILL. 

Arrived February 23d. During the storm five houses 
were set afloat, but were caught after drifting around town. 
The warehouse is a total wreck. I visited Maggie, Katie and 
Roland Hogan, who were sick on the down trip, and found them 
all recovered. Mrs. Dr. Ledynski is well and gone. L. Rick, 
ets was found suffering with chills and fever and medicine was 



4^ HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

left for him. Two thousand rations were left for Rose Clar 
and one thousand for Barnett's Landing which is opposite, in 
Kentucky. The wind was off shore, consequently not much 
damage was done by the storm. 

ELIZABETHTOWN, ILL. 

February 23 — On the trip down this place did not require 
assistance, but since the storm a change has taken place. Seven 
houses have been washed away and twenty-five families are 
destitute, and but for the fact that the wjnd was off shore the 
destruction would have been much greater. The river has 
fallen three inches since yesterday. Mr. C. W. Morris, pastor 
of the M. E. Church, stated that there were many destitute. 
Several houses are floating in the town but they are tied by 
ropes. A Relief Committee has been formed consisting of H. 
B. Renfro, County Clerk, President; S. D. Miller, S. L. Wo- 
mack, Henry Ferrill, A. H. McFarland, James Hetherington, 
Treasurer, and Jessie Kirkham, Secretary. Two thousand and 
six hundred rations weie left with the Relief Board for distribu- 
tion to the destitute. 

SEVERE ACCIDENT. 

After placing the boat in quarters for the night Captain 
MacGowan while crossing a plank slipped and fell a distance of 
twelve feet, striking upon his side and causing a semi-contusion 
of the chest and a partial dislocation of the lower ribs. He was 
taken on board by two men, and I reduced the dislocation, 
bandaged the chest and placed him in a comfortable condition 
for the night. 

We left at 5:45 a. m., February 24th, 1884, — Captain 
MacGowan is feeling some better this morning, and though it 
is very painful to him, he is nevertheless up attending to duty. 

At Brown's Point, opposite Weston, the gale made great 
havoc among the trees, hundreds of them being broken down. 
We made no stop till we reached Caseyville, where we arrived 
at 9 a. m. 

CASEYVILLE, KY. 

February 24, 1 884. — Great damage has been caused by the 
storm of last Tuesday at this place. Below the wharf-boat are 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 47 

several acres of floating houses completely demolished. Fifty 
buildings were washed away by the storm, among them the 
Methodist Church, Christian Church, Dyer & Winson, largest 
dry goods house in town ; Heine's two buildings, ruined; Small- 
wind, two houses all gone ; Henry Walter, general sewing 
machine agent, lost a large number of machines; Chas. Rehm, 
butcher, house and barn ; W. E Vaniway, residence. The 
Postoffice, which was a three story brick building, fell in on 
Thursday morning and is a complete wreck. Four boys were 
sleeping in it but they escaped unhurt. Postmaster Brooks 
stated that he lost a large amount of stamps, envelopes, postal 
cards, etc. The books were saved. E. K Ebcrly & Co's large 
hardware house is gone. Dr. Barkley's house is demolished. 
Henry Heine was injured internally by falling bricks. There 
is not a safe brick house in the place. Gierson, Ruby & Co's. 
large tobacco warehouse is a total wreck. The livery stable 
belonging to John Graham is gone and one horse is lost. 
The waves ran twenty feet high. Seventy- five thousand dollars 
will hardly cover the loss. There has been no State aid yet. 
The storm commenced at three in the afternoon and lasted until 
two in the morning. The hotel of B. C. Wells is ruined. Dyer's 
Exposition (agricultural building) is destroyed. The Casey 
ville Enterprise building is greatly damaged and the paper can 
not be pub'ished The building next to it is a wreck. The 
river is seven inches higher than last year, and the town is full 
of floating household goods 

John F. Hart has his grocery on a barge covered with a 
tent. Four thousand extra rations were left for here and De- 
Koven. The boat took coal at Colonel Sellers' landing. Commu. 
nicated with the steamer Osceola, eight miles below Shawnee- 
town. She left twenty thousand rations at Shawneetown, and 
has thirty thousand for Paducah and twenty-five thousand 
rations for any other needy point. A list of the rations as issued 
by us was given the Osceoln for their guidance. 

SHAWNEETOWN. ILL. 

February 24tb, i p. m.' The great storm of Tuesday has 
been most destructive to the place; but fortunately the direction 
of the wind prevented the entire destruction of the town, as 



48 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

must necessarily have followed had the wind been on shore. 
The hills in the rear of the town afforded some protection, but 
as it was, two hundred houses were washed away by the waves, 
and one hundred entirely demolished. Shawneetown is indeed 
at present in a most deplorable condition, and the suffering and 
destitution is great. Hundreds of families are without homes, 
and many without shelter or clothing. Mayor J. W. Millspaugh 
has issued an appeal for aid. The storm was most violent and 
the waves ran so high and with such force that many boats and 
skiffs were completely demolished. Some of the more impor- 
tant places that suffered during the storm are A. K. Lowe's 
new stable, washed away: The new school house, made of 
brick and three stories high, has all the windows broken and 
the west wall has fallen out. There are only two houses left on 
"Nigger Flat." Mike Golden lost two houses, and Mr. Powell 
a portion of his house, McMunchy & Barr's large corn crib was 
swept away and lodged on the levee. The O. & M. depot has 
turned around with the front facing east. John Finnigan's 
house has gone to pieces, while two houses, the property of 
Mrs. Susan Sellar and John Friers, have turned over on their 
sides. Mayor Millspaugh's wite had a very narrow escape from 
being drowned during the storm. Left Shawneetown at 1:30 
in the afternoon. 

At Harris' Landing, below Uniontown, a house and barn 
are gone. All gone out of Mississippi Bend where, before the 
storm, there were six houses. Poker Point, house gone. Dan 
Isham, in Indiana, a point opposite Mississippi Bend, all gone. 
Peter Kittle's new house on New Mound is gone. A barn at the 
old Ingram place, and a house and barn at Billett Place, all gone. 

UNIONTOWN, KY, 

Arrived at 3 p. m. Great damage was done here by the 
storm. The river has fallen fourteen inches. Many people 
are still suffering and five thousand extra rations were left. 
Sixty-one houses were destroyed in the storm and the loss is 
estimated at about eighty thousand dollars. John Roech's dis- 
tillery was damaged to the amount "of three thousand dollars; 
Gus Franklin lost five thousand dollars worth of dry goods, and 
eight thousand dollars worth of tobacco and lumber were swept 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 49 

away from Williams' tobacco factory. Almost every stable in 
town has been carried away and the people are suffering for 
fuel. The waves rolled into the town fifteen feet high and 
demolished nearly everything they struck. 

Savage's Landing, Ky. , two houses and one barn are gone. 

Gasper's Landing, two large barns and a house are gone. 
Henry C. Dixon's two two-story houses are gone, 

MT. VERNON, IND. 

Arrived at 5 p. m. Three thousand extra rations were left. 
except in meat, which, being short, was made up in other 
articles. This coinpletes our supply. 

The gallant little steamer Carrie Caldwell, has made the 
extraordinary average time of seven miles per hour against the 
terrific current now in the Ohio. The run of fifteen miles, from 
Uniontown to Mt. Vernon, was made in one hour and forty-two 
minutes. We remained at Mt. Vernon all night and left at 
5:45 the following morning for West Franklin where we arrived 
at 8:45 in the morning. 

WEST FRANKLIN. 

February 25th, 1884 — Several houses were washed away 
during the storm. A warehouse and a church were ruined. 
There is drift of all kinds in the town. We only stopped a few 
minutes at West Franklin when we resumed our trip up the 
river and arrived at Evansville, at 10 a. m., February 25, 1884. 
Captain McGowan at once discharged the boat and returned to 
his station at Louisville, Ky. 

The following summary will show the entire cost of the 
trip and the distribution of the rations. 

Number of rations purchased at Evansville 75,ooo 

" " '• Paducah 10,000 

Total 85,000 

Cost of rations purchased at Evansville i^9,594 9- 

" " •* Paducah 1,440 50 

Total $11,035 42 

Cost of boat for ten days @ $125 per day .... 1,250 00 
Total cost of trip. • . . . .$12,285 42 

7 



50 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

The average cost per ration purchased at Evansville was I2^c. 

The averacje cost per ration purclvised at Paducah was H^c. 

The averajre cost per ration as distributed, inckuh'ng the 

cost of transportation, was '^^c 

The whole number of rations issued from the steamer 

Carrie Caldwell between Evansville, Indiana, and Cairo, Illinois, 

from February l6th to I^^bruary 25, inclusive, were as follows: 

West I'^f.niklin 1,000 

Mt. Vernon 8,500 

Ihiiontown 15.000 

Rfileicrh 1.000 

Shawneetown 15,000 

raseyville, DeKoven, Cooper's Mines 5,000 

Cave-in-Rock 1,000 

Eliziibethtown 2,600 

Ro.'?6 Clare ; . 4,000 

Rarnett's Lauding 1,000 

Carrsville 1,000 

Golconda 10,000 

Smithland 4,000 

New Liberty 6,000 

Paducah 10,000 

Brooklyn and Strint^'town 5,000 

Metropolis 5,000 

Joppa 500 

Bird's Point and Wickliflf • - 5,000 

Total 100.600 

It will be observed that the whole number of rations pur- 
chased were 85.000 and the whole number distributed were 
TOO,6oo. This difference is accounted tor from the fact the 
rations were purchased in bulk and distributed by weight, the 
resjular army ration beins: the standard. One hundred thousand 
and 600 rations were therefore distributed at a cost to the Gov- 
ernment of $12,285 42, or T2J4^ cts per ration. These rations 
were calculated to supply ten thousand people with food for ten 
days. 



SECOND TRIP 

OF THE 

United States Relief Boat Carrie Caldwell, 

TO AID THE 

Ohio River Flood Sufferers: 

Evansville, Indiana, to Wickliff, Kentucky 

ANU RETURN, 
Marcli 3d to March 14th, 1884, inchisive. 



Captain A. B. MacGowan, 12th U. S. Infantry, Commanding 



It was only a few days after the return of the steamer 
Carrie Caldwell from her first relief expedition down the river 
that information was received in this city, and later at Wash- 
ington, D. C , to the effect that the suffering was still great 
throughout the bottom lands and that more assistance would be 
required between here and Cairo by the sufiferers from the Ohio 
River flood. The water Had fallen many feet in the mean time, 
some farmers had moved back into their wet and dilapidated 
houses, many had left their high places of safety and returned 
to their farms unly to find their houses destroyed and no shelter 
except what temporary coverings they might erect ; and many 
others were still remaining where they had been driven by the 
recent flood, when to add to the misery and suffering already 
existing it turned extremely cold. Then was the time above 
all others when energetic measures were needed for the speedy 
relief of the thousands of people without homes or shelter other 
than tents or rudely constructed sheds, whose supply of food 
and fuel was limited, and their clothing meagre in the extreme. 
Honorable Robert T. Lincoln, Secretary of War, was at once 



52 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

apprised of the situation of affairs ai.d he lost no time in again 
detaih'ng Captain A. B. MacGowan, through Assistant Quarter- 
master General Rufus Saxton, at Louisville, Ky., to proceed to 
Evansville, Indiana, purchase lOO.ooo rations, with bedding and 
comforts, and start to the relief of the suffering people between 
Evansville, Ind., and Cairo, III. Accordingly Capt. MacGowan 
left Louisville, accompanied by his wife, on March 2d, and 
arrived in Evansville the following morning, Monday, March 
3d. Here he was joined by Mr. George W. Cowlam and son, 
also from Louisville. Mr. Cowlam, who is the Indiana State 
Agent of the U. S. Life Insurance Company, was detailed by 
Assistant Quartermaster General Rufus SaXton, as chief clerk 
to Captain A. B. MacGowan to assist him in the relief trans- 
actions during the trip. A.«; soon as Captain MacGowan arrived 
the Carrie Caldwell was again chartered and the contracts for 
furnishing the supplies awarded to the following parties, who 
were the lowest bidders : 

William Caldwell. 

icoo pounds yeast dowder @ g%c $ 95 co 

8000 " Arbuckle roasted Coffee 17 ^c 1,43000 

2 1 00 " soap @ 4c ...... 84 00 

14867 " sugar @ 6^c 1,003 52 

780 bushels Irish potatoes @ 45c ^ bushel . 351 00 

91 " onions, g 80c f!^ bushel ... 72 80 

Amount $3,036 32 

Mackey, Nisbet & Co. 

1696 pairs blankets @ $2 50 1^42 40 

2004 comforts (^ $1 25 25 05 

Amount ;iS67 45 

W. M. Akin and Son. 
75,000 pounds salt sides (bacon) 1541 pieces, @9^c $7,312 50 

Elles & Knauss 

100 barrels flour @^5 25 $825 00 

180 " " 5 00 900 00 

Amount * $1,425 00 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FI.OOD. 53 

George P. Heilman. 

625 sacks corn meal ([' $i lo $687 50 

50 barrels hominy grits @. $2 90 145 00 



Amount ... . . $832 50 

It is proper to state in this connection that a generosity 
was manifested by the Evansville merchants of whom the sup- 
plies were purchased, both for this trip and the preceding one, 
and for them to plac^ their items at the lowest possible figures 
commensurate with the emergency. The large amount of 
groceries purchased from William Caldwell hardly made an 
impression upon his large wholesale and retail house on First 
Street ; while the firm of W. M. Akin & Son could easily have 
furnished double the amount of bacon supplied if required. 
The blankets and comforts came from the large wholesale 
house of Mackey, Nisbet & Co,, on First Street, the largest 
house of the kind in the Southwest. They were delivered on 
the boat in two hours from the lime the order was given. 
Owing to the severity of the weather and the long continued 
exposure to which the sufferers had been subjected, sickness 
was very prevalent among the refugees and many deaths had 
occurred. Seeing the importance of medical aid to th(?se who 
were beyond the reach of local physicians, I was again detailed 
by Surgeon General John B. Hamilton of the U. S. Marine 
Hospital Service, to accompany the expedition in charge of the 
Medical Department and to administer to the sufferers wherever 
found. Under these instructions I at once telegraphed the 
Secretary of War for authority to purchase a complete outfit of 
medicines and disinfectants for distribution upon the trip, and 
received in reply cart blanche directions to purchase what 
articles were necessary and the Department would attend to the 
bill. .This was very graceful on the part of Honorable Robert 
T. Lincoln, and I at once began receiving bids for furnishing 
the necessary medical supplies. The St. George Drug Store, 
under the management of Mr. C. G. Harris, Ph. G., being the 
lowest bidder, received the contract, the bill for the same 
amounting to $112 92. Principal among the items was a large 
quantity of disinfectants for use in cleansing the houses which 
had been submerged thus rendering them hygienically habitable. 



54 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

All Monday night and Tuesday, March 3d and 4th the employes 
were busy loading the boat, and early Wednesday morning 
we departed on our trip down the river. The summary of the 
100,000 rations is as follows: 

625 sacks corn meal, 14,867 \hs sugar. 

50 barrels hominy grits, 2,100 U)s soap, 

280 barrels flour, 780 bushels potatoes, 

/■5,ooo ths bacon, 91 bushels onions, 

1,000 ttis yeast powders, 1,696 pairs blankets, 

8, 000 lt)s coffee, 2,004 comforts (bed). 

In addition to these were the medicines and disinfectants 
The total cost of the outfit amounting to $19,464 24. 

The following is the revised log of the second trip of the 
Carrie Caldwell as kept by me at the time. 

Steamer Carrie Caldwell, \ 
March 5th, 1884. j 

It being too late to make a departure Tuesday evening we 
remained at the wharf-boat and left Evansville at 6:25 a. m- 
Wednesday morning, March 5th, 

The following are the officers of the boat: 

Capt A. B. MacGowan, 12th U. S. Infantry, commanding. 

Dr. R. P. M. Ames, Assistant Surgeon U. S. Marine 
Hospital Service, in charge of the Medical Department, 

Mr. George W. Cowlam, Chief Clerk. 
John Weed, Captain of steamer Carrie Caldwell. 
J. F. Crane, Mate " 

Henry Matheney, Pilot " ♦' 

Eugene Brady, ist Clerk, " 

George Swearanger, 2d Clerk '" 
John Orr, Engineer " " 

Edward Lamb, Steward " " 

Captain MacGowan was accompanied by his wife and Mrs. 
R. P. M. Ames was also a mmember of the party. Mr. Cow- 
lam was assisted by his son George S. Cowlam. Rev. Dr. E. T. 
Howe also accompanied the boat. He is the pastor of the First 
Congregational Church, Peoria, 111., and Chairman of the Relief 
Committee of Peoria. His mission is to make a personal inves- 
tigation of all suffering, and then report to the Reliel Committee, 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. cr 

when the funds will bo sent to the places needing it. They 
have already placed at the disposal of the Red Cross Society a 
large sum of money, clothing, etc., and Mr. Howe has now 
$2,000 on which to draw. He will confine his attention to the 
Illinois shore, and in all probability not go farther than Shaw- 
neetown. 

WEST FRANKLIN. IND. 

Arrived at 8:45 a. m. — Met Mr. Geo. VV. Lutz, Postmaster, 
who stated that the place is now in comfortable circumstances. 
A large number of fences were washed away, but will soon be 
rebuilt. 

Only fifty-three people were in want of help and rations 
for this number were left, A large quantity of disinfectants 
were left, and the following sick people were visited by myself 
and medicines and directions left : May J. Williams, pneumonia; 
Abner Lockhart, p.ieumonia ; Francis and Barbara Gussmari, 
chills and fever ; Mary Dugan, dysentery ; Lucy Hogan, double 
pneumonia. In addition 50 lbs of copperas and jolbs of flax 
seed meal were left. 

ALZEY POINT, KY. 

Arri''ed at 10 a. m. — Everything is gone at this point. 
The only house in the neighborhood is 'Squire Long's, which 
is one half a mile above, a two story house, and one small one 
back in the woods one mile distant. We stopped fifteen min- 
utes, and whistling aid for that length of time, no one being in 
sight, we left. The river is three feet below the level of the 
bank. A few household utensils were seen lying around, but 
the destruction and desolation as far as the eye could reach is 
the state of affairs. 

No stop at Crutchfield's Landing as not a house is left. 

At Pritchett's Landing, one-half mile below Alzey, we met 
Mr. James Pritchett, who stated that there were thirty people 
suffering there, back of Alzey twelve more, but there was no 
place'to leave supplies, ^and therefore, at their request, we left 
them at Mt. Vernon. Ed Stiles was found sick at Pritchett's 
Landing with congestive fever, and medicines were left. Sup- 
plies for these two places were left with C. P. Kline, Mt. Vernon. 



56 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

MT. vp:rnon, ind. 

Arrived at ii a. m., March 5, 1884 —Captain MacGowan 
and myscll met the Relief Committee, consisting of Mayor 
Smith, Major Mihier, Treasurer; Col. Owen, Secretary and 
others Mr. Mihier says they have sixty-five famihes entirely 
destitute, not a thing left for them except the clothes they have 
on. These families average five each and are from the bottoms 
as far down as Point Township to the Wabash on the Indiana 
shore. There are forty-eight families of six in a family from 
the Kentucky bottoms, opposite. These are totally helpless, 
having not a thing left. The Relief Committee state that they 
have supplies enough left to last ten days. Captain MacGowan 
therefore, left ration.s to last to the end of the month for 805 
people, rations for fifteen days, amounting to 12,075 rations in 
all, for Mt. Vernon, Point township. Walnut Bend, Crutchfield's 
and Pritchett's, also Alzey. If tents could be provided many 
of the people could help themselves by the end of the month. 
Of 132 houses in Walnut Bend fifty-three are gone, leaving the 
families with nothing. At Point Townshio fifty-one families 
are homeless and destitute. In the aggregate there are here 
six hundred and fourteen {)eop'e, representing one hundred 
and thirteen families, entirely destitute, without even a sack or 
a blanket; one hundred and ninety two people with nothing but 
a bed or bureau, or an extra coat. A great many are sick; 
fifty-three adults and sixty-eight children. Pneumonia, chills 
'and fever and dysentery are the chief complaints I left with 
the Relief Committee a full amount of medicines and a large 
quantity of disinfectants, such as carbolic acid, etc. In addition 
to the rations 207 pairs of blankets and 200 quilts are left. Rev. 
K. T. Howe ascertained that a liberal donation of lumber for 
building purposes would be very acceptable for use in the lower 
Wabash bottoms. Mr. Howe will report this to the Peoria 
Relief Committee, and the lumber will be bought and shipped 
by rail. Mr. Howe left with the Mt. Vernon Relief Committee 
one basket of clothing containing twelve good suits. Mt. 
Vernon has received, with the present donation, 28,575 rations 
from the Government of the United States. Left Mt. Vernon 
at 2 p. m. 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 57 

UNIONTOWN, KY, 

Arrived at 3:15 p. m. The town does indeed present a 
desolate appearance, not a street but what is full of demolished 
houses, barns, massive trees, and all kinds of drift. A large 
house, broken in two, lies in front of the Grand Hotel. Lower 
Second Street for one-half a mile is impassable, while the whole 
upper part of the town is one complete wreck — destruction as 
far as the eye can reach. The river is down now in its banks, 
unveiling the terrible destruction left in its track. Some effort 
will be made in a few days to start to clean up the town. All 
summer will not see it done. The entire loss is estimated at 
from $150,000 to $175,000. There are fifty houses flat on 
Upper Third Street, and not one fifth of the owners can afford 
to rebuild. The State aid, in funds, is now being used in repair- 
ing, which is very slow as workmen can not be had, from the fact 
that all those needing work, mostly negroes, are getting all they 
want to eat and wont do a thing. Everything is peaceful, how- 
ever. Families from farms five miles below are in town for help 
Their houses, barns, etc., are all gone, and unless they can have 
temporary shelter they never will be able to cultivate their 
farms or again erect houses People also come from the bot- 
toms above town and from the Indiana shore. The Relief 
Committee stated that they had all the food that they could 
use for their own town people, but would need a little for those 
that have come in upon them. The town Marshal, Mr. 
Crane, estimates thirty families completely destitute of even bed 
clothing in town, and about one hundred families that have 
come in from above and below, needing clothing. Left lOO 
pairs of blankets and 150 quilts. Rations for the end of the 
month, 3,125 in all. Left Uniontown at 5 p. m. and dropped 
two miles below where we remained all night. 

March 6th, 1884. — Resumed our trip at 6 a. m. for points 
below on the river. No accident, every one happy^ all well. 

SHAVVNEETOWN, ILL. 

Arrived at 7:15 a. m. The town does not present the 
amount of destruction that a person might suppose from reports 
and previous condition. Repairing is beginning, and soon 
business will be resumed and everything go on as before th 

8 



58 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 

flood. Mavor Millspaugh states that there arc now about 800 
people destitute, and 200 without anything to sleep on or cover 
themselves but their one suit. He thinks by the end of the 
month all will be cared for and the suffering at an end. This 
district is thirty-five miles long on the Illinois shore, from New 
Haven to Saline below. Kentucky sends over twenty-five 
families. As soon as the trains are running they will be all 
right. The rations left were 12,000 ; blankets, 100; quilts and 
comforts, 100. 

BLACKBURN, KY., 

Opposite Shawneetown. The Postmaster, Mr. Durick, is 
living on a barge, but his family are back on the hills. Only a 
few persons are here as yet. The place is ruined. Two boxes 
of clothing were taken on at Shawneetown and left here, being 
donated by the Red Cross. Blackburn has been receiving 
rations from Shawneetown, but a full supply has now been left 
for 100 people. Twelve families (60 people) are destitute. 
The territory for four miles above Blackburn and seven miles 
below, receives aid from here. There are ten families without 
clothing — 100 blankets were left. Mr. Durick received $25 
cash some time ago from the St. Louis branch of the Red Cross 
to purchase medicines tor the sick. Eight sick people were 
found — Burnett 3, Goodman 2, Hamilton 3. Pneumonia and 
chills were the principal diseases. A full supply of medicines 
were left, and also disinfectants. 

CASEYVILLE, KY. 

Arrived at 11:30 a. m. Left at 1:30 p. m. The steamer 
Oil City is lying a wreck at the wharf-boat. The town is in a 
deplorable condition, all the streets being impassable from the 
large number of houses that are demolished and are lying around 
the town. Mr. Brooks, Postmaster, states that the work of 
repairing will begin as soon as possible. The total damage is 
estimated at ^75,000. Four boxes of clothing were left here 
yesterday by order of the Red Cross Association for distribution 
by the Relief Committee. There are fifty-two demolished 
houses in the town, and nine-lenths of the owners can never 
rebuild. While walking through the town Mr. W. A. Delaney 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 59 

was seen riding on horseback carrying a cofifin to bury his 
child that died yesterday of pneumonia, four miles below the 
town. Pneumonia and chills are very prevalent, and many deaths 
are expected. Three thousand rations and filty blankets were 
left. We then left and went to Shotwell's Mines, above the 
town, for coal. Above Caseyville the two-story frame house 
that was wasned away from Mackey's plantation at Pacific Point 
was seen lodged on the old Crabtree Place in Shavvneetown 
Bend, fifteen miles below its proper site. 

At the Shotwell Mines Landing we met Dr. P. G Kelsey, 
who very kindly offered to transport our party to the mines 
and give us a thorough inspection of the coal fields. While 
the boat was coaling Mrs. Dr. R. P. M. Ames, Mrs, Captain 
MacGowan, Capt. Weed, Clerk Brady, myself and several 
others took the engine "Arthur Kelsey" and several empty coal 
cars of fifty bushels capacity each, with Dr. P, G. Kelsey, and 
ran down to the mines i 3^ miles distant. The party then took 
cars and enteied the Moorehead slope and descended to the 
bottom of the slope a distance of 2000 feet, taking ten minutes 
to make the descent. Once in the mine we found a perfect 
village. The avenues and roads extend in every direction for 
miles. Each entrance has an air passage parallel with it, and 
the ventilation of the mine is perfect in the remotest corner. At 
the foot of the slope, and 200 feet under ground, is a large 
pump, which keeps the mines perfectly dry. There are eight 
to ten veins of coal from 4 to 4-8 feet thick, and all these are 
worked. The capacity of the mine is 10,000 bushels a day. 
At present only one hundred miners are employed. Dr. J. H. 
Ames is the mine physician. There are two large veins, forty 
feet apart, from which nearly all the coal is taken. These veins 
are reached by avenues with a slope of one foot to twelve feet. 
The party were greatly indebted to Superintendent Whitehead, 
who conducted the party through the mines with Dr. P. G 
Kelsey. Dr. P. G. Kelsey is a prominent owner and stock- 
holder, and is giving great credit in his management of the 
mines. The miners receive three cents per bushel of coal, and 
average $3 per day, or 100 bushels. Heavy rain and great fog 
prevented our departure for points below, and we remained at 
Shotwell's all night. 



60 HISIOKY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

Friday, March 7, 1884. Left Shotwell's at 5:45 a. m. 
Durinj^ the night we parted with the Rev. Mr. Howe, of Peoria, 
he taking the steamer Hopkins for Evansville on his way home. 
Mr. Howe has given the sufferers all his personal attention and 
has been untiring in his efforts to ferret out all the distress. Much 
aid can now be better and more substantially given by the Peoria 
Relief Committee, as they will be guided by his personal expe- 
rience. Several boxes of clothing were left by him for distri- 
bution below. 

WESTON, KY. 

Arrived at 6:30 a. m. Thomas Lamb, Chairman of the 
Trustees of the town, states that at Lamb's coal mines and at 
Bell's coal mines there are, with the destitute in the town, about 
flfty-one people needing aid. Four thousand rations were left, 
and 1 24 blankets and 24 quilts. The town comprises 3C0 peo- 
ple. The water has fallen 25 feet. Considerable sickness 
prevails. 

FORD'S FERRY, KY. 

Arrived at 7:45 a. m. Mr. E. E. Jennings, Postmaster, states 
there are but three families that were drowned out. They all 
have plenty to eat, are not destitute, and practically require 
nothing. After mature consideration, however, Mr. Jennings 
thought that Mr. John Summer's family of five might require 
help and 100 rations were issued. Mrs. Paris was found sick 
with pneumonia and medicines were left. Mr. Jennings further 
stated that he himself would require aid, and he thought it right 
that we should leave money for him to build his house and 
barn. He had been told that the Government would make all 
repairs necessary or required, and he proposed to see that he 
had his share and that Government clerks did not pocket the 
funds. The misunderstanding was explained and he was satis- 
fied with hog and hominy. 

CAVE-IN-ROCK, ILL. 

Arrived at 8:30 a. m. Mr. J. J. Goodwin, Postmaster, 
states they are in comparatively comfortable circumstances, but 
a little food would be acceptable; 2, coo rations were therefore 
left. There were several families that were needing clothing, 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 6l 

- and several suits were left. Anderson, with six in family, was 
suppled ; also the widow Belk. There is a great amount of 
sickness and the local physician has his hands lull. I saw fifteen 
and left them a full supply of medicines that would last them 
fifteen days, besides a large supply of disinfectants. 

. HURRICANE, KY. 

Arrived at 9:45 a. m. Joseph Guess, the "boss" of the 
town, could not be found, but some parties on shore stated that 
there were only two families that were wanting anything, and 
they would take $50 apiece instead of provisions. Of course 
the $^0 was not left, but a check well be made out for the 
amount and furnished them direct from Paducah — next year.- 
No supplies were left. Just before reaching Hurricane we blew 
the whistle ofTand are now without one. Quite an excitement 
prevailed for the time being, among the ladies, as the pilot- ' 
house was filled with steam. The accident, however, did no 
damage other than the ruin of the whistle. 

ELIZAB^THTOWN, ILL. 

Arrived at 10:20 a. m. We met the Relief Committee, J. 
H. Renfrau. President Town Board; J. V. Vineyard, Secretary 
They stated there were twelve families absolutely destitute, and 
that these were from the bottom three miles above and one 
mile below, and from the Kentucky shore opposite ; 2,000 
rations were left, ten blankets and two comforts, for distribution 
by the Town Marshal, C. L. Womack. 

ROSE CLARE, ILL. 

Arrrived March 7, at 12 noon. Mr. Fields, who had received 
our supplies before, came aboard as soon as the boat touched 
the shore, and stated that the people felt under obligations to 
the Government for the assistance rendered them, and that 
any remarks passed before were not called for, and were made 
by some persons not sane at the time. Mr. Fields further stated 
that Charles Kilgron made the remarks passed before, and the 
people were very sorry for it. They were very grateful for all 
the supplies left to-day. Several suits of clothing were left for 
parties in Rose Clare, and some for those in the bottoms in Ken- 
tucky, opposite. A large number of pei sons were sick. I Saw 



62 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

at least lOO sick people. Among them were the following bad 
cases. John Hogan, chills and fever; Eliza Martin, dysentery; 
Mrs. Harrison Tyron and child, dysentery; Mrs. Gibson, pneu- 
monia; James Laden, congestion of the liver; Mrs. James 
Laden, pneumonia ; and John Laden, compound fracture of the 
forearm. The latter occurred from a fall yesterday and was 
dressed by mc to-day. The suffering of the young man was 
terrible before the dressing. Medicines were left for all and a 
full supply of disinfectants. Clothing was also left with Mr. 
Frank Sullins for himself, wife and three children. Timothy 
Patterson was treated for rheumatism. Four thousand rations 
were left, fiye pairs of blankets and two quilts. 

CARRSVILLE, KY. 

Arrived at 1:30 p. m. Raining hard and freezing. Robert 
Crotser says he had great trouble in distributing the supplies 
left at this place on our former trip, owing to the dissatisfaction 
of the people, etc., and don't care to do it this time. The 
town is not suffering much, but some people from above and 
below come in for aid. Mr. Bridges says that there are eight 
families with fifty persons above needing aid and thirty-five 
persons below, at Brecden's Landing. None are destitute of 
bedding except Mr. Hardin's family, who were burnt out and 
are now sleeping on straw. Hazel Webb and family of six 
were visited and all found sick with measles. They were at- 
tended to by me and medicines left. The following were left 
with Mr. Vick for distribution: Rations, 2,000; 20 blankets; 2 
quilts. 

GOLCONDA, ILL. 

Arrived at 3 p. m. The Relief Committee state that they do 
not require any assistance. In fact, the supplies we left them 
on the last trip held out till day before yesterday, when they 
sold the remaining articles and deposited the amount received, 
$193, in the bank as a relief fund, John Glass' house, in the 
bottoms, was destroyed during the late gale, by fire, the wind 
blowing open the door and upsetting the stove, Mr. Glass lost 
all he possessed, As long as the supplies were issued free the 
negroes could not be hired to work for even $10 a day. It is 
very stormy and we will remain all night ; 4:45 p. m. and foggy 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 63 

Saturday March 8th, 1884. A real pleasant evening was 
spent at Golconda yesterday. The representatives of Golconda 
could not do too much to show their appreciation of the assist- 
ance rendered them during the flood by the U. S. Government, 
and kept open house and extended arms during our stay. Early 
in the evening a large party of ladies and gentlemen, headed by 
the Golconda Cornet Silver Band of sixteen pieces, led by 
Professor Swan, of New York, came on the boat and took full pos- 
session. We were treated to several excellent concert pieces 
and three opera selections. Too much praise cannot be given 
the band for the perfect rendition of their selections, and Gol- 
conda may well be proud of such an efficient association of 
musicians. At 9 o'clock, alter a grand march, dancing com- 
menced and lasted till i 2, when the party took their dt'parture, 
but not as silently as they came. 

The affair was a most enjoyable one, and one that will long 
be remembered. Unfortunately the night was not of the best, 
as a drizzling rain set in early. The ladies, nothing daunted, 
bravely bid defiance to the rain and came in force. Among 
the ladies present were; Misses Ruth and Flora Steyer, daugh- 
ters of Mayor Theodore Steyer, Misses Carrie Pierce and Mary 
Pierce, daughters of Major A. T. Pearce, Miss Mamie Young, 
Daughter of Dr. Young; Mrs. Matt Williams, daughter of 
Mayor Steyer, Mrs. Dr. Young, Mrs. Dr. R. P. M. Ames and 
Mrs. A. B. Mac Go wan. 

Gentlemen — Mayor Theodore Steyer, Judge Thomas, 
Major A. T. Pearce, Dr. Young, Captain Arthur Cole, 
T. M. McCoy, Thos. MacGowan, Abraham Reezer, Philip 
Field, Captain MacGowan, Mr. Cowlam, myself and many 
others. The ladies all came to have a good time and enjoy 
themselves, consequently white kids and low corsage were at a 
discount. We were only too sorry when the time came for 
their departure. Major Pierce was acknowledged by all to be 
the most graceful dancer on the floor. The Major tips them at 
250 pounds. After a good sleep we left Golconda at 6 a. m. 

COFFEE LANDING, KY. 

Arrived at 6:30 a. m. There is one house here in which 
lives H. B. Walls, wife and four children, all destitute, and 



64 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

two children sick ; 1,000 rations were left, 50 blankets and 25 
quilts. May and Hattie Walls both sick with pneumonia. 
They were visited by me and medicines left. 

BAY CITY, ILL. 

Arrived at 8 a. m. The high water at this place did not 
reach the top of the high banks upon which Bay City is placed 
The warehouse of H. C. Henson was slightly damaged by float- 
ing drift. The Postmaster said they needed no assistance and 
nothing was left. 

BAYOU MILLS, KY. 

Arrived at 8:30 a. m. One thousand rations were left and 
12 blankets and 12 quilts. Some destitution. Three persons 
were found sick and medicine left; also disinfectants. 

BIRDSVILLE, KY. 

Arrived at 9 a. m. Mr. R. M. Wilson states that there are 
almost thirty families destitute in and around Birdsville — 1,200 
rations were left, 12 blankets, 12 quilts, a large quantity of 
clothing, copperas and flax seed meal, John Higginswas found 
sick with congestion of the brain. He is in a very critical 
condition. 

SMITHLAND, KY. 

Arrived at 10:30 a. m. No provisions are needed, but 
100 blankets and 25 quilts were left. The Relief Committee 
have done active work All supplies were left with Mr, W. 
F. Grayot, of the Relief Committee. 

NEW LIBERTY, ILL. 

Saturday, March 8. — Arrived at 11:30 a. m. There are 
about thirty families destitute at the present time, of food and 
clothing, in Unionville, below New Liberty, and Hambletsburg, 
about 720 people in all; 1,000 rations were left, lOO blankets 
and 150 quilts, A large quantity of disinfectants were also left 
in charge of J. A. Simpson, I was asked to investigate 
the situation of the town as to its needs for money, by a 
representative of a New York Benefit Club, I found that $250 
could be very judiciously expended in repairing houses, 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 65 

and authorized Mr. J. A. Shearer to draw for the amount 
etc., through Mayor Millspaugh, of Shawneetown, Illinois. 

PADUCAH, KY. 

Arrived at 1:40 p. m. Wc met the Relief Committee, 
represented by Mayor Reed, Major Ashcraft, Rev. Mr. Rogers, 
of the Episcopal Church, and Judge Campbell. They stated 
that they had all the food they needed. Rations, were being 
jssucd twice a week by order of the Mayor from the headquar. 
ters in the Old Commercial Bank. The Relief Committee fur- 
ther stated that many people were destitute of clothing and 
bedding. Consequently 200 blankets were issued and 100 
quilts, also all the reserve clothing in the boat. We left Paducah 
at 3 p. m. Great credit is due Mayor Reed for his care and 
personal supervision of the distribution of supplies to the flood 
sufferers. 

BROOKLYN, ILL. 

Arriveo at 2:20 p. m. — Mr. H. D. Hall, who was exposed 
during the storm, died from the effects of the exposure Tuesday 
morning. A large supply of medicines were left vvith Dr. 
Young. Rations for 600 people, or 6,000 rations were left, 24 
blankets and 12 quilts were also left. Left at 4:20 p.m. 

METROPOLIS, ILL. 

Arr)"ed at 5:15 p. m, I called upon the Mayor, Dr. Nor- 
ris, and other members of the Relief Committee, and ascer- 
tained that they were in a deplorable condition — even worse 
than at any time during the storm. Four hundred and fifty-one 
families were relieved out ot the last rations left by us, and 5.000 
were left by the Osceola. There are thirty families between 
here and Brooklyn, III, colored, that require more assistance 
than any in town. Rations have to be issued here for a distarice 
of fourteen miles, above and belowand back of the place, with 
200 people across the river, about 3,000 people in all. All the 
mills and factories are frozen up or washed away, and there is no 
employment for the populace. There is more need for relief 
to-day than at any time since the storm. They have received 
in all about $800 from outside parties. Their rations lasted till 
last Monday. Mr. T. S. Stone, of the City Council, states that 
9 



66 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

there ate about seventy families entirely destitute of bedding 
and clothing. This state ol affairs being understood, Captain 
MacGowan telegraphed General Saxton for 30,000 more rations 
for Metropolis. We will leave 10,000 here from our supply 
and await further orders from General Saxton, of Louisville. 
340 blankets were left and 200 quilts. We will remain here 
all night. We now have, after supplying Metropolis, 30,000 
rations left for points below. 

Steamer Carrie Caldwell, 1 
Sunday, March 9th, 1884. j 

On account of the hour at which we arrived in Metropolis 
the large supply of rations were not put ashore until this morn- 
ing, making it 8 a. m. when we left. 

JOPPA, ILL. 

Arrived at 8:35 a. m. There is considerable destitution 
and sickness at this place. One thousand rations were left with 
D. W. Thompson, Postmaster; also four blankets and one 
comfort. A large box of clothing was also left and a full supply 
of quinine and copperas. No supplies have been left here since 
our last trip. The rain, sleet and cold weather have kept the 
men from doing any work. 

OGDEN'S LANDING, KY. 

Arrived at 9:45 a. m. No supplies left. 
Arrived at Grand Chain, III., at 10:15 a. m. Thomas 
Bartleson states that no supplies are needed. 

UPPER CALEDONIA, ILL. 

Arrived at 1 1 a. m. Thirty people are destitute and 1,000 
rations were left, also 20 blankets and 2 quilts — all in charge of 
John Mohr. Henry Anderson was found sick with pneumonia, 
and medicines were left also for Berry Hamilton, who was sick. 
My last supply of disinfectants were left here. Ifwe go below 
Cairo more medicines must be purchased. Supplies were also 
left at Upper Caledonia for Turner's Landing. 

TERRELL'S LANDING, KY., 

Passed at 11:50 a. m. The place is all washed away. No 
stop. A landing was made though on the Illinois shore at a 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 6/ 

place called Cook's Landing, just opposite Terrell's, where we 
arrived at I2 (noon). I met W. S. Rogers and ascertained that 
several parties were sick. The patients being a long way back 
in the hills I did not visit them, but left a full supply of medi- 
cine for them with W. S. Rogers. Six hundred rations, 30 
blankets and 12 quilts were also left. 

MOUND CITY. 

Arrived at 1:15 p. m. Six thousand rations, 180 blankets 
and 120 quilts were left in charge of Mr. Hogan to be distribu- 
ted throughout the bottom lands back of Mound City and back 
of the Kentucky shore opposite. 

CAIRO, ILL. 

Arrived at 2:50 p. m. Past assistant Surgeon John A. 
Benson, of the U. S. Marine Hospital Service, was at once seen, 
and stated that he had personally superintended the distribution 
of the last supplies, and that the following was needed in the 
vicinity of Cairo : At Wickliff, Ky., there were twenty-five 
families without clothing; at Bird's Point, Mo., twenty-five 
families; Reelfoot Landing, five families; Norfolk, Mo., four 
families ; Dog Tooth Bend, ten families, and in the bottom lands 
between here and Beech Ridge, 111. thirty families. About 100 
families in all. Six thousand rations were therefore left at Cairo 
in charge of past assistant Surgeon Benson; also 600 blankets 
and 400 quilts, to be distributed at the above places. 

During the evening Dr. and Mrs. R. P. M, Ames were 
entertained right socially at the Halliday by the Cairo Relief 
Committee. Dr. Benson desires to express his thanks for the 
kindness on the part of Mr. R. W. Miller, who freely tendered 
the use of his warehouse for the storage of the supplies, and 
personally superintending the sacking of the flour — supplying 
the sacks himself. 

We arrived in Cairo all right and awaited telegraphic orders. 

March 10, Monday, at 6 a. m., J. C. Pressnel and John L. 
Vick, ofSmithland, Ky., came aboard and stated that a great 
mistake had been made on the part of the Relief Committee in 
refusing rations when in need there. They stated Mr. Grayot, 
of Smithland, who had received the quilts and blankets, did not 
know the wants of the town, and by the advice and direction of 



68 HISTORV OF TriE GREAT FLOOD. 

the Relief Committee these gentlemen were sent to tell us the 
state of affairs and have some rations left on our return at 
Smithland. They stated there were between seventy-five and 
one hundred families perfectly destitute of food, clothing and 
bedding. Captain MacGowan looked into the matter, and will 
leave them all we have left on our return trip. We also crossed 
the Mississippi to Bird's Point, Mo., leaving Cairo at 7 a. m. 
and arriving at Bird's Point at 8 a. m. Great difficulty was 
experienced in crossing on account of the floating ice which was 
coming down the Mississippi in large fields. We found from 
Mr. Thompson Bird that twenty-five families were destitute, and 
1,000 rations were left for this place and Norfolk; also 24 
blankets and 12 quilts. These were to go fifteen miles back in 
the bottoms. I found the following sick here : Wiley Maughun, 
with pneumonia; J. M. Johnson, Sarah Johnson and Martha 
Johnson, chills and fever; C.J. Johnson, pneumonia; Patrick 
Barker, dysentery ; Anthony Bird, erysipelas. One of the 
Johnson family died this morning of heart disease, and I was 
called in to pronounce it death or suspended animation. Death 
was the decision. We left Bird's Point at 8:45 a. m. and went 
down the Mississippi to Wickliff, Ky., where we arrived at 9:15. 
We met the Relief Committee, consisting of John Walen, J. F. 
Cocker and Thomas Elliott. They came out to us in skiffs, 
down Willow Creek, and stated that supplies for fifty people 
were all they needed for themselves, and at Jefferson, just 
below; 1,000 rations were left, 40 blankets and 24 quilts. We 
then turned back to Cairo, which we left at i p. m., on our 
RETURN TRIP. 
March 10. Captain MacGowan has been instructed that 
the steamer City of PVankfort will send by the Evansville and 
Cairo packet, the following to Metropolis in answer to his 
telegram of the 8tb inst : Four thousand rations, 25 tents, 450 
quilts and 500 blankets. These will be sent from Evansville. 
We have retained 8,000 rations for Smithland, which will, 
when delivered, complete our list of supplies. Captain Mac- 
Gowan wishes to express his thanks for the aid and valuable 
assistance rendered him in assigning supplies by Mayor Reed 
of Paducah. Mayor Charles Reed is a typical gentleman of the 
first water and never allows any of his friends to be forgotten. 



History of the great flood. 69 

A SAD CASE OF DESTITUTION. 

As we were steaming off the Kentucky shore we were 
hailed about three miles below Turner's Landing at 3:15 p. m. 
On going ashore I found a sad state of affairs. Enoch Kenyar 
and wife were living on the sand in a tent, while John Holmer 
and wife were in a small fishboat — lour in all. They had not a 
thing to eat except a little meal, which they had been living on 
for one week. They stated that they had come down from the 
hills, yesterday, with the hope of hailing a boat and getting 
something to eat. Mr. Holmer was found quite sick with dys- 
entery. Three hundred rations were left, twelve quilts and 
twenty blankets; also a full supply of medicines. We tied up 
for the night at Cany Cow Landing, where we arrived at 5:45 
in the evening. 

March 11. — Left Cany Cow Landing at 6 a, m. Passed 
Metropolis at 7:45; no stop. Arrived at Paducah at 10:30. 
Will stop only a few minutes and go on to Smithland. 

PADUCAH, KY. 

March 11, arrived at 10:30 a. rn. Mayor Charles Reed stated 
that they were now about to close out the supply of rations. 
They have been feeding nearly $,000 people for the past three 
weeks, but now all the factories are starting up and all will soon 
find work. A few more blankets and quilts were needed for 
the few remaining families, and consequently 100 blankets and 
200 quilts are left. We were entertained very nicely by the 
Mayor, at the Richmond House, and I wish to extend to him 
the hearty thanks of Captain MacGowan and myself for his 
very kind personal attention to out wants. As before stated, 
Mayor Reed is a typical gentleman and never does things by 
halves. As a souvenir of the flood, he presented Mrs. Ames 
and Mrs. MacGowan with a magnificent photograph, framed in 
old gold, 25x30, of the high water in Paducah, 1884, besides 
several other smaller ones of different parts of the city. At 1 1 
a. m. we left Paducah on our journey up the river. 

SMITHLAND, KY. 

Arrived at 1:45 p. m. Six thousand rations were left. 
Mr. W. F. Grayott, Postmaster, states that during the storm 



fO HISTORY OP THE GREAT FLOOD. 

he lost the following from the postoffice : 750 two cent envel- 
opes, 125 postal cards, 24 three cent stamps and 300 postmas- 
ter's envelopes. Most of the town mail was lost, but none 
going out. No registers were lost, but all the office blanks and 
one mail bag. Left Smithland at 2:30 p. m. 

We stopped a few minutes at Bay City, but after leaving 
Smithland no stop of any amount was made until we reached 
Lover's Leap, where we tied up for the night. Lover's Leap, 
so called, is a high bluff ot 550 feet overlooking the river on the 
Illinois shore. It is perfectly perpendicular on the river side, 
and its summit can only be reached from the river by a danger- 
ous and tedious ascent of hand over hand, from tree to tree 
and rock to rock, or by going around its base a distance of 
seven miles and coming up from behind bj a gradual ascent. 
Having an hour to spare after landing, before dark, we attempt- 
ed the direct ascent and made it after half an hour of hard 
exhaustive and dangerous climbing. Those that reached the 
top of the bluff first were Captain Weed, Henry Matheney and 
Clerk George Swearanger. Later Mrs. Ames and myself 
reached the toji, but no others came, having given out in 
climbing, and turned back. After a grand survey of the 
country we lost no time in making the descent, and reached 
the boat just as a most violent thunder storm burst upon us. 
We remained here all night and left at 5:45 a. m. for up the 
river. 

March 12. — Stopped a few minutes at Golconda for stores. 

ELIZABETHTOWN, ILL. 

Arrived at 10 a. m. While at Golconda the steamer Dex- 
ter brought a letter of complaint from some of the colored 
people of Elizabethtown, stating that they did not receive the 
rations left for them, but that they were being distributed 
among the whites. On arriving there Captain MacGowan made 
an investigation and found that the complaint was without 
foundation. Certain negroes who were not damaged by the 
high water had demanded supplies, which, of course, were 
refused ; hence the complaint. To make sure, however, that no 
more trouble would occur Mr. Carter Bryant (colored) was 
placed on the Relief Committee to assist in the distribution of 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 7 1 

supplies. Two thousand rations and 48 quilts were left, in 
addition to those which they had already received. Left Eliza- 
bethtown at 10:45 ^* ^^' 

CAVE-IN-ROCK, ILL. 

Arrived at 12:30. Stopped a few minutes for the ladies to 
explore the cave. 

CASEYVILLE, KY. 
Arrived at 2:45 p. m. Met Mr. Hatfield and Dr. Barkley. All 
are now in a comparatively comfortable condition. The High 
School building under thechaige of Mr. Hatfield, is pronounced 
unsafe. A Red Cross Society has been organized here. Miss 
Clara Barton. President of the National Association, left $100, 
and took the order for several boxes of clothing. We left them 
4,000 rations in addition to those they have already received 
and 100 quilts. Left Caseyville at 3:30 for Shotwell's mine to 
take on coal. After coaling we proceeded again up the river. 
SPECIAL NOTE. 

While in Cairo, Captain A. B. MacGowan in conversation 
with Mayor Halliday, was informed that Senator David Davis 
had placed at his disposal $10,000 for distribution among those 
Illinois towns on the Ohio River that were in actual need of it, 
and asked Captain MacGowan's opinion. After a careful dis- 
cussion of the subject with myself and Mr. George W. Cowlam 
Captain MacGowan decided that the following towns should 
receive the help proffered : Metropolis, New' Liberty and 
Brooklyn should receive one- fourth each of the amount offered, 
and the remaining one-fourth should be divided equally between 
New Haven, Rose Clare, Unionville and Stringtown. Permit 
me to state in this connection that our reasons for refusing 
Shawneetown are simply these : Shawneetown has received 
aid from every quarter, both in supplies and money, and while 
we fully appreciate its past situation, we know from personal 
observation that it has been better cared for than the smaller 
and less fortunate towns which we have mentioned. This act 
of Judge Davis is a most commendable one, and is really the 
aid that these or any other places along the river now require. 
They all have food and plenty of it, and money is the great 
agent that will now place them once more to the front. 



72 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

SHAVVNEETOWN, ILL. 

Arrived at 5:45 p. m : Stopped five minutes to leave the 
mail. At 6 p. m. we ran up to Brown's lower island landing 
and tied up for the night, three miles above Shawneetown. 
March 13 — Left Brown's Landing at 5 a. m. 

RALEIGH, KY. 

Arrived at 5.30 a. m. Left 1,300 rations with instructions 
that if more were needed to apply at Uniontown. We left at 
5:45 a. m. Rations were left with John E. Karr, also 12 quilts. 

UNIONTOWN, KY. 

Arrived at 6:30, Left 2,600 rations which we saved for 
them, these being the last on board. Our supplies are now all 
distributed. Left at 7 a. m. 

MT. VERNON, IND, 

Arrived at 1 1 a. m. Only made a stop of a few minutes 
to put off mail and telegraph. We then proceeded to Mt. 
Nebo where we were compelled to tie up for the night. 

March 14. — Left Mt. Nebo this morning at =5^30 a. m. 
We expect to reach Evansville by 10 a. m. 

EVANSVILLE, IND. 

March 14th, 1884. We arrived in Evansville at 10:30 in 
the forenoon completing the second relief trip of the steamer 
Carrie Caldwell to the relief of the Ohio River flood sufferers 
in the spring of 1884. We have been twelve days out and have 
distributed all the suppli^^s with which we started. The medi- 
cines and disinfectants have been distributed among nearly three 
hundred patients, according to their wants. This ends the 
second trip of the kind by this boat, and in both instances all 
the supplies were purcha£:ed here, showing conclusively that 
our markets are by far the best and cheapest on the river. Had 
it not' been so both trips would have been made and the supplies 
purchased from Louisville, The needs of the people that have 
suffered from the overflow are now nearly supplied. No more 
food of any kind will be necessary, and by the time the trip of 
the Red Cross Society is finished clothing will have been abund- 
antly distributed. The point now is the erection and repairing 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 



73 



of the houses, barns and buildings wrecked or destroyed in 
order that shelter may be given the farmers of the bottom lands 
till they can raise a crop, and in this way again make a start. 
To do this money must be contributed and in such a way that 
it all will reach the parties most in need. It should only be 
placed in the hands of those people who have seen and know 
the exact situation and are capable of distributing and with care 
and discretion. No more relief will be sent out by the Govern- 
ment, as the work now is practically finished. 

The trips of the Carrie Caldwell have been very pleasant 
ones, if such could be imagmed. No accidents have occurred, 
of note, and nothing to mar the pleasintries of the occasion. 



PLACES RELIEVED. 

Wedsesday, March 5. 1884. 

Katious. Blankets. Comforts. 

Cave Point, Ky ^ . . 50 24 

Union Township, Ind . . . . V 

Knight Township, Ind. . . . j 5000 84 100 

West Franklin, Ind 1000 . . . 

Alzey, Ky ^ 

Pritchett, Ky j 

Crutchfield's, Ky [ 

Point Township, Ind f 

Walnut Bend, Ky 

Mount Vernon, Ind ..... j 8000 

Uniontown, Ky 57oo 100 150 

Point Township, lower Ind. . . • 

Raleigh. Ky j 1300 . . 12 

Thursday, March 6, 1884. 

Shawneetown, Ills ^ 12000 100 100 

New Haven, Ills > 

Mouth of Saline River . . . . j 

Blackbuurn, Ky 2000 50 . . 

DeKoven Mines, Ky 3000 50 25 

Coons Ridge, Ky ^ 

Cooper's Mines, Ky j 

Davis' Mines, Ky )■ 

Commercial Point | 

Casey ville, Ky , j 7000 35 100 

10 



74 HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD. 

Places Supplied. Rations. Blankets 

Weston. Ky ^ 

Lamb's Mines, Ky I 

Bell's Mines, Ky ( 4000 42 

Ford's Ferry, Ky J 

Cedar Point, Ills ] 

Frazier Point, 111 > lOO i 

Cave-in-Rock, Ills J 

Hurricane, Ky 2000 3 

Rose Clare Ills 1 

Barnett's Landing-. Ky . . . j 4000 5 

Elizabethtown, Ills I 

Crittenden. Co. Ky / 4000 5 

Carrsville, Ky ) 

Breeden's, Ky / 2000 10 

Parkinson's, Ills ^ 

Golconda, Ills [ 

Perry's Ferry. Ky [ 

Coffee Landing, Ky . . . . j 1000 25 

Saturday, March 8, 1884. 

Lover's Leap, Ills ^ 

Bay City. Ills V 

Bayou Mills, Ky ) 1000 6 

Birdsville. Ky 2000 12 

Smithland, Ky 8000 50 

Hamletsburg, Ills ^ 

New Liberty. Ills > 

Unionville. Ills • j looo 50 

Paducah, Ky 150 

Brooklyn, Ills \ 

Stringtovvn f 6000 12 

Metropolis, JUs . lOOOO 170 

Massac, Ills ) 

Metropolis Landing Ky 25 tents j and4000 250 

Sunday, March 9, 1884, 

Joppa, Ills 1 

Carico / lOOO 2 

Ogden's, Ky . .' ^ 

Grand Chain, Ky j 

Caledonia, Ills j 

Turner's, Ky j 1000 10 

Pace's Landing, Ky ~| 300 10 

Terrell's, Ky ^ 

Cook's, Ills j 600 15 

Mound City, Ills 6000 90 



24 

I 

2 

2 
25 



12 
12 

25 



50 
300 

12 

200 

450 



10 
12 



12 
120 



HISTORY OF THE GREAT FLOOD, 



Places Supplied. 

Monday, March lo, 1884. 

Cairo, Ills 

East Cairo, Ky 

Beach Ridge, Ills . 
Dog Tooth Bend, 
Reil Foot, Tenn . 
Bird's Point, Mo . 
Norfolk, Mo . . . 
Wickliff. Ky . . . 
Fort Jefferson, Ky 



Blankets. 



75 

Comforts. 



Mo 



6000 



1000 
1000 



300 

12 

20 



400 

12 
24 



Total, 111,000 1696 2017 

Thirteen comforts receipted for more than we had; must 
have counted in some cases 8 bales as 100 comforts instead of 96. 
As soon as we arrived at Evansville the boat was dis- 
charged and Captain MacGovvan and wife and also Mr. Cowlam 
and son returned to Louisville, Ky. 

The aggregate cost of the trip is as follows : 
Whole number of rations purchased at Evansvile . . 100,000 



Cost of same $19,351 32 

Drugs and disinfectants 112 92 

Total ^19,464 24 

Cost of boat ^ $125 per day, 12 days 1,50000 



Entire cost of trip $20,964 24 

Average cost per ration purchased at Evansville, in- 
cluding blankets and comforts 19/3 c^^- 

Average cost per ration distributed including cost 



of transportation , 



i8tV cts. 



Average cost of ration purchased not including 

blankets and comforts 127^ cts. 



Ihe followlnK table will show the number of rations distributed between Evansville, Indiana, and 
Wicklifle, Ky., for the aid of the Ohio Kiver flood pufferers during the spring of 1884, the places relieved. 
and the number of rations received by each town. In this table all the relief furnished these places is 
shown except the clothing distributed by the Bed Cross Society, and donations of money from outside 
parties 





B 
s 

H 

n 


Second Trip 
of steameri ar- 
rio Caldwell. 


%.- 

•> 

35 


Amount 01 rations issued by the 
steMHier O.sceola and by pnckets 
from Loui.sville. 


3 
1 . 

%^ 
X a 

is 

X c 

5? 

a « 
Oh 


1 

a 

u 

a 

cS 

a; 

X 

>. 

s 

k 

x^ 


PI 
a= 

111 

a Z 
0^ 3 


u 

4) 

E 

T. 

— S. 

> c 

"3 2 


P 

CO 
c « 

•25 
I'B 

2 i - 
^■-^ 


PLACES. 


X 

o 

a 
03 


£ 
c 
5 


•i. 

t 

I 






',5000 
1000 

sboo 

•5700 
"i.300 

i266o 


2-1 , F,0 














2 Union Tftwns'hip, Ind 


















100 

15' 1 
12 

"iiio 


84 
100 

'ioo 

50 
50 


5000 

2000 






5000 
2000 


""566 
' "25611 


5000 


4 West Franklin Ind 


1000 



'■ 8.500 
1.5000 

1000 

'15000 


2500 
■"2.560 


5 Alzey. Ky " ^ 

ij Prltchett's L:ind)ng, Ky 1 

7 Crutchtleld's ) 

8 Point Township, Ind 1 

!» WHJuut Bend, Ky 1 

10 -Mt Vernon. Ind J 

11 rniontown, Ky t 

12 Point Township, lower, Ind.. . ( 

13 Raleisih, Ky 

11 Brown's Ish.nd, 111 ^ 

1.5 Shawneetown. Ill 1 

16 Saline I anding. 111 J- 

17 New Haven, 111 1 

18 Mouth s^aline River, 111 | 


16.500 
20700 

"'2:360 

27(100 


10250 










207 


200 


26750 
20710 

"2300 

'67666 
100 


5000 
3000 

"2566 


.317.50 
^3700 

•'oOO 


'46066 
100 






09500 
100 


19 Blackburn, Ky J 

20 DeKoven, Ky 

21 Coon's Ridge, Ky 

22 Cooper's Mines, Ky 

■yi rinvis' MiaejL Kv 


■;;::: 


2000 
3000 


"25 


2000 
3000 








2000 
3000 


250 


2250 
3000 



Ihe followl»« table wllUhow the number of ration, dlMrlbu.ed between Evauevllle, Indiana and 
WickUffe, Ky., for the aid of the Ohio River flood suff.rera during the .pring of 18a., the place, relieved 
and the number of ration, received by each town. In this table all the relief furnished these place, 1^ 
.hown except the clothing distributed by the Red Cross Society, and donations of money from outside 
parti«8 





i 

1 


Second Trip 
if steamerrar- 
rlc Caldwell. 


2" !■<''■'" (S"" 

1 


r 

5 
3 

i 

Vi 

: 1. 

J 


- ^ . 


1 
£? i 

fe \ 

k- 

> z 

ir 

03 I 


3 


PLACES. 


a 


1 





m 
c 


■i 

ill 

ill 


1 L,avepoint, Ky 


.5000 
1000 

"mit 

.5700 
"i.300 

12660 


'24 sol 



























4 West Franklin. Ind 

5 Alzey, Ky ^1 

6 Prllehett's Landing, Ky l 

7 Crutchfleld's (_ 

S Point Township, Ind f 


"iboo 

"8.500 
1.5000 

1000 

'15066 


100 

1.511 

12 

"iiio 


84 
160 

'ioo 

50 
50 


5000 
2000 

16500 
20700 

"2360 

27(>0fl 


10250 

■46666 

100 






5000 
2000 


"566 
'25611 


5000 
2500 

'2.560 


11 W.ilnut Bend, Ky | 










10 Ml Veiiion.Ind J 

11 liniontowii, Ky 1 

12 Point Townslilp, lower, Ind.. . ) 

13 RaleiBli, Ky 

li Brown's Ish.nd, 111 T 

1.5 Shawneetown. Ill I 

10 Saline 1 anding. III "■ 


207 


200 


20750 
207(0 

"2300 

'67666 
100 


5000 
3000 

"2566 


317.50 
i3700 

"2360 

69500 
100 


17 New Haven. Ill I 

18 Month Saline River, III | 


19 Blaekbnrn.Ky J 

20 DeKoven. Ky 

21 Coon's Ridge, Ky 

22 Cooper's Mines, Ky 

23 Davis' Mines. Ky 




2000 

3000 


' & 


2000 
3000 








2000 
3000 


250 


2'250 
3U00 


24 Coramerclal Point, Ky 1 .-. . 


























100 
5000 


"43 


■ 24 


100 
17000 

"4660 

""166 
300 
1000 
2000 
7000 

■5666 
0«O0 
1001 
•200C 

'i666( 

40( 

"\m. 





100 
1700O 


26 Coseyvllle, Ky 


.5000 


7i00 


100 

"24 


35 


i266o 


28 L.imb's Mines, Ky 

2!) Bell's Mines, Ky 




4000 
166 


"42 

"'i 


40o6 

"160 

'"1000 
2000 

40O0 

".5666 

6600 
1000 
2000 










4000 


31 Cedar Point, III 

32 Fivzte, 111 


iboo 


:it Seller's Liindlng, III 

34 Cave-in Kock 111.' 


300 






.300 
1000 
2000 
7IIU0 
.5000 
.5000 
B600 
1000 




2000 


'4606 
4000 



2000 


1 
■"2 

50 
" 2 


3 

" 5 
5 

■'To 








36 Rose Clare, 111 


400C 


3OO0 






38 Elizabethtowii, 111 

39 Crittenden County, Ky 

40 Carrsville, Ky 


100c 

2600 

100c 


12 Parkln.son's 111 


'"ik 


..... 






43 Goleondn, III . 


lOOfll 








10000 




44 Hill's III 




45 Perry's Ferry. Ky 

46 Coffee Landing, Ky 




"1666 


"2.5 


"25 


"io6'6 


"1660 






"100c 
2000 
8000 


i"i2' 6 


"1666 
2000 

1'2000 

8000 
1000 

10000 
i 16(10 

150O0 


""\k 


'.'.'. 








19 Bavoii .MllLs, Ky 


110< 





1100 






4II0C 

"eijm 
i66!K 

.500C 
500C 


12 
25 


12 

50 


2000 




hi Sniithland. Ky 


"iooc 
'3600c 

'•lew 


... 

... 




1200( 

"i'm 

lOOC 
4000( 


.... 


12000 


.52Han.letslinrg, 111 ) 




.54 Unionville'lll J 

.55 Paducili,Ky 


lOOC 


50 
300 


50 
150 

12 
170 


1000 


.56 Brooklyn, 111 ) 

57 Strlngtown, III ( 

.58 Metropolis. Ill 




(iOOO 

10000 


12 
200 


1100( 
lUOOt 




11000 
19600 


00 MnasHC Creek, III 

til Metropolis Landing. Ky 

62 Joppa III 


■■"soo 


4000 

iooo 


'450 
.... 

"16 


250 

'"2 

10 


"kooo 

500 
1000 

"1666 


20(1 

"16^ 
-foi 

26C 
100 


... 


'•220 


200 
4000 
150C 
IOOC 

IOC 




2(XI 
4000 
1500 


64 Ogden, Ky . . . 

65 Or.ind Chain, Ky 




100 






1000 




126C 
IOC 
30C 
















300 


12 


10 


300 








71 Cooks. '11 1 

72 Mound City. Ill i 


«00 
6000 


12 

r2u 


15 

90 


600 
6000 








60C 

.6000 




600 
600O 


74 F,«st Cairo. Ky | 

75 Keach Rlilge, III 

76 Dog Toot h Bend. Mo 1 















































■5060 


"6666 

"i66o 
1000 

I110(« 


400 

"12 
24 

2017 


300 

I2 
20 

1G96 


'6666 

5000 

"1666 
1000 

211600 








"6060 
6000 

"1666 

1000 










79 Bird's Point, Mo 

80 Norfolk, Mo J 








13; 5C 


,5000 


82 Fort Jett'ersou, Ky 




250 


444 


1000 


TOTAL 100600 


1W510 


308110 


321WiO 



Iq aihlitloQ to the above, one huudred and fifty army blankets were issued by the Government. 
Places in above table opposite which rations are noc placed, received them from the adjacent towns. 



